Dive Pacific Oct Nov 2018 Issue 166

ISSUE 166 - $9.90 inc GST October / November 2018

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Marine Reserves: winning hearts & minds for the sea

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Why isn't the NZ Government interested in Cook’s Endeavour?

Meeting the unexpected in the Philippines NZ Underwater Hockey teams win gold Wildlife Photographer of Year finalists • How to choose an underwater camera housing • World Spearfishing champs: Report from Portugal: Spearos Notebook www.divenewzealand.com

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• Dive Features • News • Reviews • Dive Destinations • Products • ISSUE 165 - $9.90 inc GST August / September 2018

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What makes Milford Sound unique for divers, (besides giant crayfish)? www.Dive-Pacific.com

The richest marine ecosystem on Earth The no-brainer case for more, bigger marine reserves Shark feeding regs tightening?

San José: Treasure wreck of the century

NEW! A Beginners Guide to Underwater Photography

Shining Star in Port Vila

Cousteau: “We can solve this!”

• Simple rules for breath-holding divers www.divenewzealand.com 1

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Featuring stunning photography from dive destinations around the globe D L A N Z E A

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Borneo: regular Poor Knights: your lies What Rich days of guide beneath? wonder

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An experience without equal “The reef systems here are some of the most pristine I have seen anywhere in my dive travels around the globe, and Wakatobi resort and liveaboard are second to none. The diversity of species here is brilliant if you love photography.� ~ Simon Bowen

www.wakatobi.com

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contents In Depth 4

EDITORIAL: Where’s the spirit of adventure? with Dave Moran

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Cook’s Endeavour found. NZ Government lacks interest

SOUNDINGS L ocal and international news & comment 6 Has Photoshop removed skill from photography?

Vale Rees Jones 7

Underwater Hockey teams take gold at World Champs!

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oatie to pay $17,500 for running over diver B Propellor campaign revived by DAN

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S hark cage diving banned Seaweek 2019 date announced

11 U S Navy research adds warmth to wetsuits New discoveries on Marlborough seafloor Scallops remain off limits 25 K nowing your dolphins New data to help dolphins on the brink 31 Ex NZ Navy ship finds new role defusing Pacific time bomb 45 Toi Ohomai course leads to dream ocean job SPECIAL FEATURES 14 Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalists announced 21 Winning hearts and minds for the sea: Te Kura Moana How you too can experience our wonderful Marine Reserves 34 Create your own PADI Master Scuba Program 62 SELECTING A CAMERA HOUSING - Underwater Photography, a Practical Guide for Beginners by Alexey Zaystev 72 Farewell Phil Bendle, long time diver, boat skipper, Dive columnist Check out our website www.divenewzealand.com Dive New Zealand / Dive Pacific magazine is available in the lounges and inflight libraries of these airlines:

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BUCKET LIST DESTINATIONS 12 Solomon Islands – ultimate diving

Cover Photo Waimarama TapiataBright from Te Kura Kaupapa Ma-ori o Nga Mokopuna (Wellington) at Blue Mao Mao arch as part the annual EMR Poor Knights Competition trip in 2018 Photo: Darryl Torckler P A C I F I C www.torckler.co.nz N E W

24 Fiji’s Beqa Lagoon: Much more than sharks 32 T hree great NZ dive destinations in brief: Dive Zone Whitianga, Tauranga, Bay of Islands

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26 Poor Knights: 20 years as a fully protected, no take sanctuary

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36 Meeting the unexpected in the Philippines 42 H abits and habitats. Fascinating facts about some of Wakatobi’s unlikely creatures Marine Reserves: winning hearts & minds for the sea

GEAR BAG 46 New stuff to capture your wallet www.Dive-Pacific.com

Why isn't the NZ Government interested in Cook’s Endeavour?

OUR EXPERT COLUMNISTS 24 The consequences of losing our ‘Public Service’: LEGASEA UPDATE 30 G etting ready in Portugal for the World Spearfishing Champs: Spearo’s Notebook! With Jackson Shields 52 O xygen first aid keeps two divers out of the Chamber: Incident Insights with DAN, the Divers Alert Network 58 I n water decompression: Is it a good idea?

Dive Medicine with Professor Simon Mitchell

Meeting the unexpected in the Philippines NZ Underwater Hockey teams win gold Wildlife Photographer of Year finalists • How to choose an underwater camera housing • World Spearfishing champs: Report from Portugal: Spearos Notebook www.divenewzealand.com

Do you have a possible cover image?

Email: divenz@divenewzealand. co.nz. NZ$100 will be paid if used.

Must be relevant to the marine world.

60 S hades of Colour - more stunning images in our regular photo competition - ‘The diversity is amazing’ 64 F rom colour to B&W: Digital Imaging with Hans Weichselbaum 66 B lue Moki, Species Focus with Paul Caiger

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Shot on a Nikon D800 with a sigma 15mm fisheye lens in a Nauticam underwater housing with a 8.5” acrylic dome. Flashes used an Ikelite D160 and an Ikelite D125 Exposure f8 @ 1/50th, ISO800

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INDEPTH EDITORIAL

Diver drop outs?

Where’s the spirit of adventure?

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ecently I had a very good reason to visit Quebec, Canada and Newport Rhode Island in the USA - my daughter, Paige is a member of the New Zealand Elite Women’s Underwater Hockey team which competed in the World Women’s competition in Quebec.

(See page 6) Underwater hockey was started

by Southsea Sub-Aqua in the UK in 1954 to keep club members fit during the chilly winter months.

The sport was introduced to New Zealand in the early 1970s. I recall playing the game back then; it really was a game played by hard core spearfishing Clubs. Breath holding and brute strength were the skills you needed, much like a State of Origin League final!

Underwater Hockey NZ Secondary School Nationals in Rotorua. I have long maintained this group represent the future of our dive industry because they are so at home in the water. Many of them continue to enjoy their diving for many years afterwards.

Dropouts, why?

Meanwhile the dropout rate of new Open Water Divers quitting diving within two years is over 90%. An appalling statistic. The training agencies and the dive industry as a whole have failed to successfully address this issue.

Now the game requires complex team work, and extreme fitness, skills that for the untrained seem impossible! After battles over two weeks between 16 countries the New Zealand Women and Men’s teams both claimed Gold!

Many experienced divers think one of the main reasons is due to the “adventure” being taken out of recreational scuba diving.

We have Worksafe requiring compliance with their regulations and audits of dive companies and charter boat operators. Fair enough I guess. But, as a result basically, after a few dives wrapped up in cotton wool, a diver thinks, is this it? Boring!

In New Zealand recently over 400 school students competed in the

No wonder free diving and spearfishing are booming. They go

Cook’s Endeavour and is still on going. (See p5.)

As you will read, a lot is going on above the surface re the Endeavour, activity that is very challenging and at times very frustrating. Like recreational diving restrictions, politics can also curtail the natural human instinct to explore.

I was not able to be with my two friends who found the planes as I was on an adventure of my own.

The possibility of diving the final resting place of Captain Cooks’ Endeavour in the waters of Newport Rhode Island USA. It’s been an amazing journey over two years 4 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

The six part television series Uncharted presented by Sam Neill currently screening on Prime TV is taking us on the amazing journey of Cooks’ explorations from Tahiti to the South Pacific, Antarctica to Alaska. Without today’s modern navigational aids it is hard to comprehend how such ocean voyages were achieved.

An amazing seaman. I’m sure

out into the ocean with a mate and have an adventure without having to be “certified” plus it costs bugger all. May it long continue.

So what should we do to bring adventure back into diving?

Adventure is out there 1000%! So where do you find it?

Let us know your thoughts.

A couple of my mates called by recently to show me images of two WWII planes laying on pure white sand that they had just dived.

The first divers ever to dive these planes! The thrill of discovering a new wreck and confirming its final resting place is very exciting.

But their discovery was the result of over two years of research and planning!

It could be anything that you discover… taking a picture of a new species of nudibranch, or behavioural interactions between fish, or whatever. The subject is only restricted by your imagination!

But when you hit the Jack Pot it is exciting payback for all your effort. the spirit of adventure ran in his blood. The introduction to Uncharted says: Whether admired or admonished, Captain James Cook is forever linked to the Pacific, its heritage and its future.

That includes New Zealand. All Kiwis know Cook is forever linked with us. Let’s hope the New Zealand Government does not ignore this part of our maritime history resting in the waters of Newport Rhode Island USA.

- Dave Moran Editor at Large

New Zealand Government shows lack of interest in preserving Cook’s Endeavour

By Dave Moran, Editor at Large, in association with Keith Gordon

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recently had the pleasure of visiting the location of the final resting place of Captain James Cook’s HMB Endeavour just off Newport Rhode Island in the US. I was the guest of New Zealander Dr Bridget Buxton, Associate Professor of Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, and resident marine archaeologist at the University of Rhode Island. Bridget is highly regarded worldwide, an expert in Roman wrecks, and currently working on future dives to the Titanic.

Bridget has been a driving force in trying to get the New Zealand government interested in the final resting place of the Endeavour, the wreck of New Zealand’s most celebrated ship. She saw the opportunity when the Government announced there was to be a major commemoration of the first encounters between Maori and Europeans, the 2019 Tuia Encounters 250 https:// mch.govt.nz/tuia-encounters-250.

During the Tuia commemoration from October to December 2019, a replica of the Endeavour will visit four of the main James Cook landing sites as well as other harbours.

Last year Bridget travelled to Wellington to meet with three members of the Tuia planning group and I attended that meeting with fellow New Zealand Underwater Heritage Group member, Keith Gordon.

Bridget delivered a very professional presentation on how the Government could help support local Rhode Island efforts to identify and excavate the Endeavour. She proposed that timely support for a proper excavation would lead to securing the ship’s identification and preservation and help save a time capsule for future generations. Relics from the Endeavour could potentially be part of a travelling exhibition during the 2019 commemorations. The wreck’s salvor-in-possession, the state of Rhode Island, is keenly aware of the ship’s special importance Downunder. The Tuia Encounters 250 planning group showed little interest.

OVERVIEW The New Zealand Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) is working with

local organizing committees to commemorate the anniversary of the first encounters between Ma-ori and Europeans, starting with the 250th Anniversary of Capt. James Cook’s arrival off our coast.

MCH set up the entity “First Encounters 250” to organize events for this and the distribution of $9 million of Lottery Grants Board funding. Dame Jenny Shipley chaired the National Coordinating Committee. The organization’s name was later changed to “Tuia Encounters 250” and the noted waka voyager, Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr, was appointed co-chair. The Government has now allotted $13.5 million for these commemoration events and projects in addition to the $9 million from the Lotteries Grants Board.

L to R: Petal Moran, Dr. Bridget Buxton (URI), Kathy Abbass (Executive Director -RIMAP) and Dave Moran near the Endeavour’s final resting place.

Sunk as a blockade

The Endeavour is thought to be one of five ships deliberately sunk by the British as a blockade during the American Independence Revolution in 1778 to stop the French entering the Newport harbour. Bridget wants the Government to make an official expression of interest to the Government of the State of Rhode Island in support of a full excavation to confirm the precise site.

Despite approaches to MCH in 2017 and 2018, including a letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, also the Minister of Culture and Heritage, the Government has shown a lack of interest. It even appears reluctant to make any public statement in support of an excavation which is said to be due to a concern over doing anything that might upset Maori or Australia.

Dr Bridget Buxton has not requested financial assistance from the Government, just an official New Zealand endorsement for local efforts

in the US to save the Endeavour which would help her secure the use of their resources, and to advertise and build a fundraising campaign. The New Zealand Underwater Heritage Group Inc. (NZUHG) supports Bridget’s efforts to give New Zealand a place at the table in determining the future of our most important European shipwreck.

What we did not expect from two successive New Zealand governments was the outright rejection of any concern, responsibility, or desire to be publicly associated with efforts to save one of our nation’s great archaeological treasures.

Australia’s claim In contrast, Australia is claiming it as “Australia’s national wreck of most importance,” and demonstrating their great interest, including being involved with the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project’s (RIMAP) ongoing surface investigations of the Newport shipwreck sites.

A definitive identification of Endeavour must await a proper excavation, which is currently beyond the resources of RIMAP. Bridget Buxton as the veteran of several excavations of large shipwrecks in the Mediterranean, is confident she can mobilize the necessary resources and expertise to permit the excavation, but has felt unable to act without support from New Zealand.

For Bridget, an expression of interest from the Government to the Government of Rhode Island in support of conserving the Endeavour would be a very helpful foundation for her university, which is already a RIMAP collaborator, to become further involved in identifying, excavating, and preserving the wreck.

As one of New Zealand’s very few expert underwater archaeologists, Bridget says it feels like fate that she has ended up as a professor at the coastal university that literally overlooks the final resting place of James Cook’s Endeavour. It’s a shame MCH and the New Zealand Prime Minister appear to have little interest in it.

www.divenewzealand.com 5

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL

Has Photoshop eliminated skill from photography?

Dear Dive, editing software and before you know it, it's being shown off as an award winning picture. No it isn’t, it never was. Gee, the original was out of focus, overly brown from goose poo, uninteresting, with lots of scatter. Five minutes with lightbox and it’s got a manta ray framed by vibrant corals!

First I would like to say what a fine magazine Dive is. However! I have noticed the number of articles that are Photoshop this and Light bulb that.

Now you are old enough to remember back in the old days when we used to dive with a camera loaded with film (you young’uns look it up on your Google machine). We took a 'roll' of up to 36 shots maximum per dive and it could be weeks before we saw the outcome of our endeavours. It was expensive and limiting so we made sure every shot was lined up, framed right and worth it. None of this modern digital take a million photos and if one is ok then what a great photographer I am.

Which brings me to my point. Is this really showing the skill of a photographer anymore? Is it fair that an average photo which was computer manipulated can win a competition over a brilliant, but not perfect non manipulated photo?

Maybe photo competitions need separate categories for both, or maybe they already do and I'm not paying attention. I am sure you will let me know.

Nowadays it seems all one needs to do is go to Lake Pupuke, take an average shot, plug it into your computer and play with photo

Vale Rees Jones

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diving in the early 1950’s and remained active until recent times. Having a leg amputated did not deter him; he had an extra prosthetic leg made especially for diving which he wore beneath his dry and wet suits.

Rees had an expert knowledge of marine life and his diving included many remote Pacific and Asian sites. With

his medical professional background he took a keen interest in diving and hyperbaric medicine and was a long time member of the South Pacific Medicine Society (SPUMS), the Historical Diving Society and the NZ Underwater Heritage Group.

(Long time dive, boat skipper and Dive columnist Phil Bendle has also passed on – an obituary for him is on page 72)

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- Gilbert Peterson, Managing Editor

P S keep up the good work, it's appreciated, honest.

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It’s certainly true the photos we publish now are of far higher quality than ever before - just look at our Shades of Colour competition every issue! But this has come about, not from the likes of Photoshop, but from the advanced skills of the growing numbers of highly talented photographers working underwater these days, using superb underwater technology.

Regards Neil

Rees Jones, a previous owner and operator of the Tutukaka dive boat Pacific Hideaway, passed away on 6th September 2018 aged 83. Rees and his late son Gareth were well known to many divers diving the Poor Knights Islands and also provided the support boat for technical diver and ROV expeditions to the wreck of the Niagara.

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Thanks for the kind comments, Neil, but I disagree with some of the points you make. You need as much skill as ever to get a great photo. But you raise issues we should all know more about so I will pass your letter onto our experts for their views.

Publisher Gilbert Peterson +64 027 494 9629 Dive Publishing P.O. Box 34 687 Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand 0746 divenz@divenewzealand.co.nz Editor at Large Dave Moran +64 9 521 0684 davem@divenewzealand.co.nz Advertising Sales Manager Colin Gestro +64 272 568 014 colin@affinityads.com Art Director Mark Grogan +64 9 262 0303 bytemarx@orcon.net.nz

Printed by Crucial Colour Ltd Retail distribution NZ: Gordon & Gotch All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden except by written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in the publication are those of the authors and not necessarily the publishers. All material is accepted in good faith and the publisher accepts no responsibility whatsoever.

www.DiveNewZealand.co.nz www.Dive-Pacific.com Registered Publication Dive Pacific ISSN 2624-134X (print) ISSN 2324-3236 (online)

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL

New Zealand Elite take Gold at CMAS 20th Underwater World Championships

By Dave Moran, Editor at Large

Quebec Canada - 20th -28 July 2018

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teams from 16 countries arrived at Quebec City Laval University’s amazing Recreational/ Physical Education Sports Centre.

Within this massive complex is a stunning 50 metre pool with a depth of three metres.

The pool was divided into two playing zones and a warm up zone.

The World Titles to be competed for were: Elite Women and Men: Masters Women and Men. An underwater camera on rails and top side camera displayed the “action” on a large screen. It was outstanding.

The New Zealand anthem filled the stadium. A very proud moment.

Great Britain (2nd) and Colombia (3) also congratulate the New Zealand team

Final results: Elite Women: 1st New Zealand, 2nd Great Britain, 3rd Colombia.

Final score: New Zealand/Great Britain 5:4. This was an extremely hard fought final lasting over 53 minutes with extra time and sudden death being played to decide the winner! A normal game is 30 minutes.

Elite Men: 1st New Zealand, 2nd France, 3rd Turkey.

Final score: New Zealand/France 3:0 Masters Women: 1st France, 2nd Australia, 3rd Colombia.

Master Men: 1st France, 2nd South Africa, 3rd Canada.

New Zealand has always competed strongly in World and regional age group (under 19 & 23) competitions.

New Zealand Elite Womens team celebrate their hard-fought win

This was the first time that both women and men have achieved gold at the Elite level of competition.

The standard of underwater hockey in New Zealand is very high. This is due to the grass roots school competitions that continually feed athletes into the higher levels of the sport. The annual School Nationals competition is a huge event!

Interested? Visit: www.underwaterhockeynz.com Note: Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) was founded in 1959 and comprises over 130 federations from five continents. In addition to organizing international underwater sport events it is at the forefront of technical and scientific diving research and development.

CMAS is the world governing body.

Underwater hockey, originally called Octopus first started in Portsmouth, UK in 1954 and was developed as a winter activity for scuba divers to keep fit.

After 12 long years of competitions the New Zealand Elite Men proudly hold the World Cup as Manager, Sarah Arnold looks on.

www.divenewzealand.com 7

SOUNDINGS LOCAL NEWS

Boatie ordered to pay $17,500 after running over diver

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he court has ordered an Auckland boatie to pay $17,500 in reparation after seriously injuring a diver who he ran over in the water. In July Carl Whiteman pleaded guilty under the Maritime Transport Act. The diver suffered significant lacerations to his head needing eight staples, a broken arm and lacerations to his arm requiring numerous stitches. He was off work for 12 months.

The accident occurred north of Auckland between Ti Point and Omaha, on 5 February 2017. A prominent sign at the boat ramp alerts skippers that the area is popular with divers and snorkelers and emphasizes the need to keep a proper lookout and proceed at a safe speed. It was a sunny day with fairly low wind.

The diver had swam out 200

metres from Ti Point with an orange buoy and with a blue and white dive flag attached to his spear gun by a 20 metre line.

Mr Whiteman, with three passengers in his 3.5 metre inflatable powerboat, said he saw the orange buoy but did not “register” the dive flag on the buoy. He assumed the buoy marked a crayfish pot. The diver was looking down for fish no more than 20 metres from his buoy and flag when he was run over by Mr Whiteman’s boat travelling at between 10 and 15 knots (19 to 28 km/h). The incident could easily have been fatal, the court was told.

Maritime Rules impose a speed limit of 5 knots (9 km/h) within 50 metres of a person in the water and 200 metres of a boat flying a dive flag. They also require every vessel to maintain a proper look-out, to be fully aware of the

situation and risk of collision.

Mr Whiteman turned his boat around to help the diver, and one of the passengers called the Police.

They took the diver to Ti Point wharf where they were met by Police and an ambulance.

“I urge every new skipper to get training and help from a boat club or Coastguard Boating Education, “said Neil Rowarth, Maritime New Zealand Northern Regional Manager. “It’s not hard, it’s not expensive and you get to meet boaties and have some fun learning.” _____________________________ [1] Maritime Transport Act 1994, Section 65(1): “Every person commits an offence who operates … any ship or maritime product in a manner which causes unnecessary danger or risk to any other person ...”

Three propeller deaths this year… DAN revitalises safety campaign

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n the first four months of 2018 there were at least three fatalities of divers/snorkellers caused by collision injuries from boat propellers in the Asia-Pacific region, one each in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. It is likely other incidents occurred too as many injuries often go unreported.

So DAN has decided to revitalise a safety campaign focusing on awareness of propeller safety.

Propeller injuries are far too common despite often being preventable. Many of them occur in remote locations where medical facilities may be insufficient, and the licencing and regulating of boat drivers may be poorly regulated or don’t exist. But countries like Australia and New Zealand are not immune to such incidents (see story above)

Main causes A review of DAN’s reported incidents from the past 10 years indicates four main categories of causes: 1) B oat operators unaware of divers in the area coupled with 8 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

insufficient lookouts.

2) Boat operators attempting to move the boat while divers were nearby in the water.

3) D ivers/snorkellers failing to use a flag or buoy, or undertaking diving activities in an area frequented by boats.

4) D ivers being pushed into boat propellers by waves or currents.

To increase the safety of divers/ snorkellers in relation to propellers requires a two pronged approach:

1. Working with divers/snorkellers

to increase awareness of strategies to avoid propeller incidents, such as:

• The use of clearly visible dive flags.

• The use of diver’s floatlines and/ or SMBs. • Being vigilant in avoiding areas with known boat traffic.

• Avoiding surfacing or swimming at the stern of the boat without the crew’s knowledge.

• Ensuring divers follow crew instructions when attempting to board the vessel.

2. Reinforcing to boat operators they need to be diver aware, by:

• Having an adequate lookout at a high point able to see divers who will be low in the water; • Recognising the different types of dive flags (and light signals at night).

• Being aware of the laws and regulations regarding exclusion zones and speed limits that surround ‘Diver Below’ warnings, if any. In the absence of regulations, care and slow speeds are still required.

• Ensuring propellers are not engaged while performing pick-ups; and receiving confirmation all divers are clear of the propellers prior to re-engaging.

DAN will be running this safety campaign predominantly on our socials (Facebook: DAN Asia Pacific, Blog: daninsider.org) If you miss anything go to: www.danap.org/ DAN_diving_safety/campaigns.php.

We encourage you to support the campaign so we all work together to prevent unnecessary injury and loss of life. Safe diving.

- Scott Jamieson, GM, DAN Asia-Pacific

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL NEWS

Shark cage diving outlawed

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he Court of Appeal has ruled shark cage diving is an offence under the Wildlife Act, a decision that has pleased paua divers in particular.

divers from Stewart Island, the Department of Conservation (DOC) and shark diving companies, Shark Experience Ltd and Shark Dive New Zealand Ltd.

The Paua Industry Council says shark cage diving should never have been allowed to happen at all.

The Court of Appeal decision also found the director-general of conservation had no power to authorise shark cage diving.

"It makes absolute sense, you know, people's safety and changing shark behaviour has been well documented now so let's hope that's the end of it," said Jeremy Cooper, the Council’s chief executive.

The decision ends a legal battle between a group of paua

Shark diving began near Stewart Island in 2007 where great white sharks are common due to the large number of fur seals. In 2014 paua divers there called for a moratorium on it due to safety issues but DOC was reported to say public safety was outside its obligations under the Wildlife Act.

In 2016 the southern paua divers said in the High Court that regular cage diving was potentially having a behavioural effect on sharks in the area which was resulting in a risk to human life.

Shark cage diving has been ruled an offence under the Wildlife Act.

Rare white humpback whale sighted

W

hale biologist Dr Ingrid Visser said the whale is likely to be Migaloo, a famous white humpback known in Australian waters, or possibly a previously unknown new white whale. Either would be extremely rare.

Commercial cray fisher Joshua Whitley was out casting pots about 16km off the coast of Gisborne when he happened to look up and see a whale spout. He noticed one of the whales was white. He and his crew were "completely buzzing" at the "once in a lifetime" sighting.

Visser said it was difficult to identify the whale just from the footage though there was

a possibility it was the first documented sighting of the third recorded white humpback whale.

She said the second one is in the Atlantic.

The whale in the video was either albino or leucistic, meaning white pigmentation. The difference is albino animals have pink eyes while leucistic animals have black eyes.

Both Migaloo and the white humpback from the Atlantic have identifying features on their tails.

Migaloo also has a distinctive dorsal fin. The Atlantic whale has black on the underside of the tail whereas Migaloo is all white.

In 2015 a white whale, later confirmed to be Migaloo, was spotted in the Cook Strait. DNA analysis by Oregon State University in the United States confirmed a skin sample taken from it matched the genetic profile taken from Migaloo confirming it to be the same whale.

Anyone sighting the latest white whale is asked to report it to the Orca Research Trust on 0800 733 6722.

www.divenewzealand.com 9

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL

Ex NZ Navy warship's next commission?

Defusing Pacific time bomb

A

n Australian couple, Paul and Wilma Adams, have paid ‘a few hundred thousand dollars” to buy the 44-metre ex-Royal New Zealand Navy dive tender, the Manawanui.

the looming ecological disaster when they visited Micronesia's Chuuk Lagoon (previously Truk Lagoon) where the US Navy sank dozens of Japanese ships in Operation Hailstone in 1944.

The decommissioned Manawanui has now docked at the Adams’ hometown of Carrington, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales, the ABC reported.

He said while they were diving they saw a huge blob of oil come out, drift up to the top and disperse.

The Manawanui is built for deep sea diving missions and has a decompression chamber, a domed bell for deep diving and a 15-tonne crane for heavy lifting.

The plan for the ship is to use it to prevent oil leakage from mostly Japanese vessels sunk in the Pacific during World War II. The wrecks are rapidly corroding and threatening to leak oil into sensitive environments.

The couple plan to lock guard the wrecks against leakage by using cathodic protection, with blocks lowered underwater from the Manawanui.

Paul and Wilma became aware of

"Each wreck we dived on had oil come out of it. So we decided we'd do something."

Paul says their mission has become a consuming passion. “Buying the ship was just the beginning.”

A corrosion survey of the Lagoon in 2002 by Dr William Jeffery, a maritime archaeologist and assistant professor of archaeology at the University of Guam, has found "many of the wrecks… will retain their existing integrity for only the next 10 to 15 years before they begin to undergo significant collapse."

"The project will need permission and support from the Chuuk and [Micronesian] governments," Dr

Jeffery said. “While it's a private mission, it will be implemented in accordance with the laws and procedures required by these governments.

"The archaeological, social, cultural and biological values of the wrecks will be taken into account, but they won’t be a focus at this stage."

Paul says there's a time bomb waiting to happen right through the Pacific.

"There's about 3,000 wrecks out there. Three hundred of those were oil tankers. They are at the bottom of the ocean, and they are starting to leak."

Scallop fishery remains closed

F

isheries New Zealand has announced the Marlborough Sounds, Tasman Bay, Golden Bay and Port Underwood will remain closed to scallop fishing for the 2018/19 season (from 15 July 2018).

Director of fisheries management Stuart Anderson said recent surveys have shown scallop numbers in the area are starting

to increase, but still remain low, and the beds cannot sustain harvesting.

"The majority of submissions received during the consultation process agreed with a further period of closure,” he said.

“Submitters also agreed that when the fisheries re-open, significant changes will be needed to the

fisheries management settings, and any proposed changes will be widely consulted on before any decisions are made.

“You risk a fine of up to $100,000 and having your gear forfeited for gathering scallops in the closed area.”

Seaweek 2019 date confirmed

T

he New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) has announced the dates for its flagship event Seaweek will run from Saturday, March 2nd to Sunday March 10th next year.

The theme will be “Tiakina o - tou Mo-ana - Care for our Seas” Ta to highlight the impact of plastic, litter and other pollutants on our coasts and seas.

Said Pam Crisp, NZAEE Seaweek Programme Manager: “We want

10 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

everyone to be an ocean champion, and to understand that everything is connected and everything we do makes a difference.”

“It’s wonderful that we are able to plan early to grow the event and engage more people in this fun and informative week about the sea.”

Seaweek 2019 is again supported

by Department of Conservation, NZ Marine Studies Centre University of Otago, Greater Wellington Regional Council, National

Aquarium of New Zealand, Napier City Council, Environment Canterbury Regional Council, New Zealand Coastal Society and many local sponsors.

The Seaweek team would love to hear what your school or community group is doing for “Tiakina o Ta- tou Mo-ana - Care for our Seas” and can help with publicity and resources.

Visit www.seaweek.org.nz

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL NEWS

US Navy research adds warmth to wetsuits

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o carry out missions in waters at temperatures less than 50°F (10°C) US Navy SEALs wanted a wetsuit with better thermal properties than those available at present, according to a report in Undercurrent in July. They wanted cold not to be a determining factor so much on how long they could stay down.

As a result researchers at the US Defence Department and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology came up with a

radical new process which is said to emulate the blubber of seals combined with the pockets of air trapped in the feathers of penguins. They developed a coating for existing wetsuits which triples their thermal properties, and the survival time for the diver wearing one.

The process involves placing thick neoprene wetsuits inside a pressure chamber with a heavy inert gas (xenon or krypton) for 20 hours. The trapped air in the

integral bubbles of neoprene is thereby displaced by the gas, with and results in a wetsuit with the lowest heat transfer of any wetsuit.

The drawback is that after treatment the wetsuit must be kept in a sealed bag until it is used and re-treated again before further use The next step in the research is to find a way to make a long term, stable version of the adapted neoprene, perhaps by bonding a protective layer over it.

New discoveries on Marlborough seafloor

T

he most thorough underwater coastal survey of the seafloor undertaken in the Marlborough area has found several previously undiscovered natural features and sunken boats.

NIWA and Discovery Marine Ltd used the latest multi-beam echo sounder technology to gather more than five billion data points for mapping the Queen Charlotte Sound/To-taranui Scours in the Tory Channel and Tory Channel/Kura Te Au areas in partnership with Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and the Marlborough District Council.

The survey included 280 days on the water covering 43,000 hectares.

a quantum step in our knowledge of the Sounds’ complex coast. Some of the most exciting finds were sediment wave fields up to 20 m high, numerous seafloor pockmarks attributed to freshwater seeps, gravel-filled deep water current scours, and complex rocky reefs with extensive kelp habitat.

Several shipwrecks and sunken boats were also located, some known to divers and locals, and some unknown. One was the wreck of the Hippolas, a barque which struck Walker Rock in 1909 and abandoned with no loss of life.

The multi-beam echo sounders enable maps of the seafloor habitat in extraordinary detail and with the data producing an extensive new catalogue of navigational charts and 3D images. Marlborough now has the most detailed picture of the physical and biological features underneath their coastal waters of any region in New Zealand.

NIWA General Manager Operations and marine geologist Dr Helen Neil said the survey delivered

Malaysia shows how with International Coastal Clean-up Day

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very year Reef Check Malaysia organises nationwide beach clean-ups as part of International Coastal Clean Up Day. This year the big day was September 22nd. Cleaning up marine debris is also the focus for the International Year of the Reef this year.

In March Reef Check did a trial run on a small scale, engaging 500 volunteers in 16 locations collecting 2.6 tonnes of trash from 15km of coastline. www.reefcheck.org.my

On the seafront downtown Port Vila.

• Certified dives • Training to Instructor Level • Snorkel Tours • Full gear hire available

Very friendly, professional & experienced local Instructors & Dive Masters 20 dive sites (10 to 20 minutes) including 5 wrecks (including 4 engine QANTAS Sandringham flying boat and 150 year old sailing ship Star of Russia). Temp 24-28°c. Viz 10m to 40m.

Free pickup from Resorts in town.

For your safety Vanuatu has recompression facilities.

P: +678 27518 email:dive@bigbluevanuatu.com

www.bigbluevanuatu.com www.divenewzealand.com 11

Solomon Airlines begin direct weekly flights from Brisbane to Munda starting April 2018

Magical Munda - Dive the unexplored

www.divemunda.com

Dive Munda is a multi award winning SSI Instructor Training Centre in the Western province of Solomon Islands committed to sustainable dive eco-tourism. Scuba dive unexplored reefs, WWII history, Kastom culture, hard and soft coral, cuts and caverns along with pelagic life and shark action, all in one of the last wild frontiers left on planet ocean.

Experience Magical Munda at Agnes Gateway Hotel Award winning service and pristine diving SSI Instructor Training Centre WWII wrecks, caves and reefs – untouched and unspoilt

Winner divemunda@dive-solomon.com Find us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram 12 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Solomon Is. Freedom NEVER FORGET, NEVER AGAIN

visitsolomons.com.sb

The Solomon Islands ultimate diving experience The Solomon Islands, aptly named the Hapi Isles, is the epitome of a hidden South Pacific paradise, rich in art, dance and iconic panpipe music.

T

hese 992 islands and coral atolls have been attracting visitors since 1568 when Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana first arrived. Many of the islands bear the names he gave them - Santa Isabel, San Cristóbal and the best known, Guadalcanal, the site of the World War II campaign where the Allies ultimately prevailed. The people here take immense pride that this was where freedom for the Pacific was won.

Lately there’s been another invasion – of dive enthusiasts from around the world keen to explore this diving mecca.

They’re discovering for themselves an amazing mix of WWII wrecks, technicolour coral pastures, steep walls, shallow reefs, tunnels, drop-offs, and a veritable pot pourri of demersal, reef and pelagic fish swarming in bath warm waters.

So where to go?

Here’s some of the more accessible sites:

Honiara

Honiara is the perfect place to start, with dives on the famed Bonegi 1 and Bomnegi 2 easily arranged.

A short boat ride away lies Tulagi, the venue for the well-known ‘Twin Tunnels’, and the many wrecks below in Ghuvatu Harbour. For serious wreck diving, Iron Bottom Sound is literally littered with wrecks, including a recently discovered submarine.

Munda

North west from Honiara is one of the best dive outfits anywhere – Solomon Island Dive Expedition’s (SIDE) Dive Munda. Munda has it all: swim-through caves, boat and plane wrecks, and pristine coral right near the best accommodation, the Agnes Gateway Hotel.

Munda is where the currents create perfect conditions

Solomon Is. Freedom NEVER FORGET, NEVER AGAIN

for barracuda and Jacks feeding frenzies. At Barry’s Breakfast you can hang mid-water surrounded by swarming pelagics.

Gizo

Gizo is home to the highly reputable Dive Gizo and from here you can access Grand Central Station which boasts the highest fish count in the world - more than 275 species recorded.

Wreck enthusiasts are catered for with a 440-foot Japanese freighter, the Toa Maru and an almost fully-intact US Hellcat fighter aircraft in shallow waters.

Marovo Lagoon

Marovo Lagoon has been recommended for a World Heritage listing renowned as it is as one of the best dive locations in the Solomon Islands. Mantas and hammerheads throng here, along with barracuda, eagle rays and swarms of jacks. The flow through here stirs up the nutrients attracting in the whole food chain.

The Russell Islands

Divers seeking an amazing experience aboard SIDE’s luxury liveaboard vessel, the MV Taka, head for this island group 40 kilometres off the northern tip of Guadalcanal. These islands offer special geological features such as the Mirror Pond Cave and Bat Cave where divers surface in an ocean water pool surrounded by jungle. Here too is the Leru Cut, just three-divers wide penetrating from the rocky coastline deep into the jungle.

At Karumolun Point divers get an opportunity amongst schooling Jacks and barracuda, and where the occasional squadron of devil rays show up amidst staghorn meadows, turtles and countless clownfish.

Solomon Is. Epic visitsolomons.com.sb www.divenewzealand.com 13

First Wildlife Photographer of the Year images revealed for 2018

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he finalists in the 54th renowned exhibition of the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 have been announced and will be on show from 19 October at the Natural History Museum in London. We reproduce just five of them here.

The 100 image exhibition showcases some of the world's best nature photography and photojournalism with the overall winners announced on 16 October. Winning images are selected for their creativity, originality and technical excellence. This year the competition attracted 45,000 entries from professionals and amateurs across 95 countries.

Photographer: Sue Forbes Country: United Kingdom

After the exhibition the images be toured in the UK and internationally.

Entries for the 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition which anyone can enter will be open from 22 October to 13 December 2018.

The Natural History Museum is the most visited natural history museum in Europe and the top science attraction in the UK with more than 4.5 million visitors each year and 500,000 unique visitors a month to its website. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/competition.html

Category: Behaviour: Birds Image Name: Flight

Highly commended

One morning North-east of D’Arros Island in the Outer Islands of the Seychelles, Sue awoke to find tranquil water and a single juvenile red footed booby, circling. These ocean-going birds, the smallest booby species, with a metre wide wingspan, spend most of their time at sea. They swoop down to seize prey, mainly squid and flying fish with bodies streamlined for plunge diving, and nimble enough to grab a flying fish mid-air. Before breaking the surface to escape predators such as tuna and marlin, flying fish build up tremendous speed under water, to glide, airborne, on their stiff pectoral fins. Sue had no idea when and where a chase might happen. ‘Suddenly, a fish leapt out’, she says, ‘and down came the booby.’ The booby missed, and the fish got away.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 300mm f2.8 lens + 1.4x extender; 1/1600 sec at f9; ISO 640.

14 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Photographer: Greg Lecoeur Country: France

Category: Wildlife Photojournalist Award: Single Image Image Name: Life among litter

Highly commended A master of camouflage and an ambush predator, the Sargassumfish, a frogfish, stalks its prey on claw-like fins through the fronds of these floating islands of seaweed, concealed by its tan colour and feathery outline. Greg spotted this individual on the Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat, an area where strong currents converge bringing the nutrients that sustain rich biodiversity. The currents also collect and concentrate anything else that floats, including some of the millions of tonnes of plastic that end up in the oceans each year.

Technical details: Nikon D7200 + Tokina 10 – 17mm lens; 1/250 sec at f11; ISO 100; Nauticam housing NAD7200; two Ikelite DS161 strobes.

Photographer: Emanuele Biggi Country: Italy

Category: Animals in their environment Image Name: Eye to eye

The stench was unbearable as Emanuele searched the carcasses for life on the desert coast of Peru’s Paracas National Reserve. A colony of South American sea lions supplies the corpses which result from illness, injuries, or die-offs triggered

by El Niño events when the warming of the sea reduces prey. Eventually Emanuele found this, a young male Peru Pacific iguana (distinctive black chevrons on its throat), sheltering from the harsh sun and wind. Lying on the beach, Emanuele encapsulated the dependence of terrestrial life on the ocean.

Highly commended

Technical details: Nikon D8 10 + Tokina 10 –17mm f3.5 – 4.5 lens at 15mm; 1/125 sec at f18; ISO 100; SB R200 flashes + Fotopro DMM - 903 bracket.

www.divenewzealand.com 15

Photographer: Tony Wu Country: USA

Category: Animal Portraits Image Name: Looking for love

Highly commended Accentuating his mature appearance with pastel colours, protruding lips and an outstanding pink forehead, this Asian sheepshead wrasse sets out to impress females and see off rivals, which he will head-butt and bite. Individuals start out as females, and when they reach a certain age and size, up to a metre long, can transform into males. Longlived and slow-growing, the species is intrinsically vulnerable to overfishing. It favours rocky reefs in cool waters in the Western Pacific where it feeds on shellfish and crustaceans. Little more is known about it. On Japan’s remote Sado Island Tony conveys the suitor’s earnest intentions writ large on his face.

Technical details: Nikon D800 + Sigma 15mm f2.8 lens; 1/200 sec at f11; ISO 200; Nauticam housing; Pro-One dome port; two Nikon SB-910 flashes + custom Zillion housings.

Photographer: Wayne Jones Country: Australia

Category: Underwater Image Name: Glasshouse guard

On the sandy seabed off the coast of Mabini in the Philippines a yellow pygmy goby guards its home, a glass bottle. It is one of a pair, each no more than four centimetres long that have chosen a bottle as a perfect temporary home.

The female will lay several batches of eggs while the male guards the entrance.

Wayne set up his camera a few centimetres in front of the bottle’s narrow opening with two strobes; one at the base of the bottle to illuminate the interior, and the other at the front to light the goby’s characteristic surprised face. He focused on the goby’s bulging blue eyes, allowing the movement of the fish to blur the rest of its features.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 100mm f2.8 lens +Nauticam super macro converter (SMC-1); 1/200 sec at f8; ISO 200; Nauticam housing; two Sea & Sea strobes.

16 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Highly commended

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www.divenewzealand.com 17

Fiji’s B eqa Lagoon: Much more than sharks

This giant moray eel made an appearance at the Aqua Trek shark feed

By Nigel Marsh and Helen Rose www.nigelmarshphotography.com

M

ost divers travel to Fiji’s wonderful Beqa Lagoon to see sharks, and with three world-class shark dives there it is easy to see why. But there was a time when Beqa Lagoon was more famous for its fabulous corals; Jacques Cousteau called the area ‘the soft coral capital of the world’. Those incredible corals can still be seen but you might miss them, sadly, if you only come to see the sharks.

positioned ourselves behind a rock wall. The guides then started to feed the assembled fish and sharks.

Intense

The action was intense. Small grey reef sharks competed hungrily but it was the larger bull sharks that claimed most of the food. After 15 minutes our guides led us up to 10m where the reef sharks get fed;

complete chaos. But the guides had good control over the dozens of grey reef and whitetip reef sharks zooming in for food. A final stop was at 5m, where blacktip and more whitetip reef sharks were fed while we did our safety stop. Then, after an interval on the surface we had another great dive with just the bull sharks.

Next day was more shark diving,

Beqa Lagoon is a large sheltered body of water off the southern coast of Viti Levu. We have dived this brilliant lagoon many times, to see both the sharks and the corals.

Our first night was at the wonderful Uprising Beach Resort located on a pretty beach and set between the palm trees, a fantastic resort with very comfortable villas and bures. Many diving friends have stayed at Uprising before, and we could see why they keep going back.

Early next morning we boarded one of Beqa Adventure Divers (BAD) dive boats for the trip to Shark Reef where, for the first dive, we headed down to 30m and 18 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Helen explores a valley of gorgonians at Fantasy One

Controlled chaos of reef sharks and reef fish at the BAD shark feed

this time with Aqua Trek. Aqua Trek started the shark diving business in Beqa Lagoon in 1999 and they visit their shark feeding site at Lake Reef four times a week.

Everyone was keen for more shark action.

At The Bistro we perched behind a rock wall at 22m buzzed by sharks of many types: silvertips, sicklefin lemons; grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, bulls and tawny nurse sharks. There must have been over 60 of them! Again the action was extreme, and again well controlled. At one stage a small tiger shark made a brief appearance, too wary to come in close. But after 40 fun filled minutes we waved them all goodbye and headed off to explore a ship scuttled nearby.

A sicklefin lemon shark checks out the divers at the Aqua Trek shark feed

www.divenewzealand.com 19

The second dive at The Bistro was just as good, but with the hyperactive silvertip sharks departure, other sharks seemed more settled. We managed to capture many excellent images, though I am always amazed how many times a tiny damselfish can intervene to ruin a photo!

Coral beauty

With the shark diving over with it was time to explore some of Beqa Lagoon’s superb coral reefs.

We headed out on a 40 minute boat ride from the resort and looking over the side we could see the bottom at Fantasy One, a wonderful dive site. Here three large bommies rise from 20m to 5m. We spent most of our time on the middle one which is riddled with caves and ledges, and covered in exquisite corals.

Jaw-dropping beauty. Simply spectacular gorgonians and soft corals, and as well, over the next hour we encounter reef sharks, angelfish, schools of basslets and nudibranchs.

Later we dived another fabulous site, the Seven Sisters, with numerous bommies, incredible corals, a high fish population and a shipwreck. Resting near the main bommie in 25m is the Tasu II, a 33m fishing vessel scuttled many years ago. It’s encrusted with soft corals, gorgonians, black coral trees and sea whips, and on it we found pipefish, longnose hawkfish, dragonets and a resident giant frogfish.

We ended by investigating the coral gardens on top of it, home to masses of small fish: damsels, basslets and fusiliers.

Our short trip reinforced what, really, we already knew; Beqa Lagoon has some of the best shark dives in the world, and also some of the most colourful coral reefs in Fiji.

Visit: w ww.uprisingbeachresort.com www.aquatrek.com www.fijisharkdive.com www.waidroka.com

20 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

The coral encrusted scuttled ship of the Tasu II

The prop of the scuttled ship at the Aqua Trek shark feed A hyperactive silvertip shark

Winning hearts and minds for the sea

The 2018 EMR team on the bow of Perfect Day. South Harbour with Southern Arch in the background.

We should think of our marine reserves as ‘wet libraries’, says Samara Nicholas (left), founder of the Experiencing Marine Reserves programme. They should be accessible to all, she says.

“Places like the Kermadecs are like giant wet museums - who wouldn’t want the chance to experience them?”

S

amara was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to marine conservation and education in June this year. She was a recipient of a Sir Peter Blake Trust Leadership Award in 2005 and has been involved in several Young Blake expeditions since including two expeditions to the Kermadecs.

“We aim to create awesome real life marine experiences, not just for kids but adults too,” Samara says.

“Increasingly our focus is on encouraging people to observe what’s around us underwater, such as looking out for new marine pests or changes in species, to help contribute to citizen science wherever we can.” (see https://inaturalist.nz/ ) “We work with hearts and minds,” she said. “These are the building blocks for people to create emotional connections with their environment and make a change.”

“We get unexpected outcomes from our programmes all the time. We don’t know what we’re going to get. A woman snorkeling with her son at Goat Island came up to me, and they were buzzed out – adults get as excited as the kids - and she had a whole pile of cigarette butts in her hand she was getting rid of in the bin, instead of chucking them on the ground. This change of attitude for her was the natural outcome of her snorkel experience.”

www.divenewzealand.com 21

Art by Stevie

“A kid recently told me that he wanted to become a marine biologist” Earlier in life Samara said she thought she might become a midwife but altered course at Kamo High School when she became involved with an application to establish a marine reserve - rei Harbour. in Whanga

chair of the trust, Vince Kerr, and marine biologist Dr Roger Grace.

The late Dr Bill Ballantine was hugely supportive.

Initial funding came from DOC, then later the Tindall Foundation and the Department of Conservations Community Fund which Samara says was instrumental in their expansion nationally.

…We work with hearts and minds. These are the building blocks for people to create emotional connections with their environment…

In 2002 she co-founded the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust based in Whangarei which is the national body for EMR along with freshwater programmes.

Early mentors were the current

EMR – Te Kura Moana - is now located in eight different regions throughout New Zealand with a team of up to 30 co-ordinators and EMR has been adopted in South Australia in a kind of non-profit

One of the supervisors snorkelling in Blue Maomao Arch, with loads of Blue maomao

22 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Letter from Max

Science project by Kade

franchise arrangement.

“For our core programme we start in the classroom, teach them to snorkel with all the gear from Wettie, starting in their own local area and then we take them to a marine reserve or other marine protected area,” Samara says.

Delivered by a co-ordinator the programme is designed to set the kids abuzz before progressing to developing their snorkeling skills in a pool then heading to a marine environment, somewhere like Goat Island or Maitai Bay for the Northland schools.

“People mainly hear about us these days by word of mouth and we don’t always have funding to do

all the programmes asked of us,” Samara says. “We can offer a user pays snorkel experience though, and other funding comes from donations and by partnerships with such as ferry operators to keep costs down.”

EMR snorkellers with supervisors (in red tops) ready to plunge in clear waters off the vessel Perfect Day

Every year EMR runs a competition for the chance to snorkel at the Poor Knights Island Marine Reserve.

Winners are selected based on the merits of an action or artistic project where they demonstrate kaitiakitanga (guardianship) in projects that address marine issues in their community.

This year 32 students from 29 schools in eight regions got to go on the trip to Blue Mao Mao Arch along with 31 parents and 11 supporters. All thanks to funding from the Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation and the support of Dive Tutukaka.

EMR also runs guided snorkel days in marine reserves for anyone to participate, and kayaking days through the mangroves at Okura in the Long Bay Reserve or Pollen Island in Auckland, or to one of many other locations throughout the country.

EMR snorkellers on the surface with a boogie board for flotation, watching a sandager male wrasse at the Poor Knights Islands

EMR Team jumping off Perfect Day at the end of a fabulous day out at the Poor Knights Marine Reserve.

Such is the success of the EMR programme and its reputation, their database has been expanding rapidly - when a new event in Auckland is launched it often fills to capacity overnight.

“We’re getting a massive database of people signing up as volunteers,” Samara said. “We need them too, to work as community guides, especially as experienced snorkeling guides who we train further especially for health & safety objectives. We are an accredited Adventure Activity Operator.”

Since 2002 over 14,338 people have been involved with Community Guided Snorkel/ Kayak events plus 53,866 guided through a Marine Reserve and 63,605 people in all snorkelling with EMR so far. www.emr.org.nz www.facebook.com/emr.mtsct

www.divenewzealand.com 23

LegaSea Update

The consequences of shifting away from the concept of our ‘public service’

I

n less time than it took to implement the Quota Management System and see its virtual demise, the New Zealand Public Service has morphed into an array of government agencies operating on skin-tight budgets and answering primarily to corporate chief executives. Fisheries is not immune. A rebranded Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) is now just one layer of many in the Ministry of Primary Industries.

the smallest possible reductions, often through phasing these reductions. But with increased public scrutiny, independent monitoring, and less headroom for our fisheries, some larger quota reductions are now beginning to surface.

But we are yet to see a paper or any proposals that seek to address the loss of public access to our fisheries, or to a healthy marine environment.

…All we can find out about the spending of this $26 million is some high level PR material but with no proper data to support our collective investment in the (Precision Seafood Harvesting) programme…

The changes have not just been in name. When it comes to FNZ we now have a Ministry focused on partnering with commercial interests to increase exports - the culture of our Public Service has been undermined by economic priorities.

The ethos that previously obliged government officials to serve the long-term interests of our citizens has been subsumed by the need to contribute to the country’s annual balance sheet. This change has had a detrimental effect on all New Zealanders – our inshore fisheries have deteriorated and the marine environment has been degraded. This is bad news for us and future generations.

Future productivity has been lost.

Twice a year FNZ traditionally produced a plethora of management proposals either to increase commercial catch limits, or apply

24 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Independent research in 2016 found that recreational fishers spent almost a billion dollars pursuing just a few of our top recreational species. The research found recreational fishing’s overall contribution to the New Zealand economy was estimated at $1.7 billion. Despite this, and its obvious potential to grow our national and regional economies, no additional support has been forthcoming.

Compare this lack of commitment to the Precision Seafood Harvesting programme into which $26 million of public money has been handed to corporate commercial interests to test a new trawl net. With no public accountability or transparency. All we can find out about the spending of this $26 million is some high level PR material but with no proper data to support our collective investment in the programme.

There is a gulf of difference between the approach taken in managing, and more so, protecting the various fishing interests. Customary fishing interests are given priority.

Commercially important species are given much attention and resources. The environment barely rates a mention. Yet when it comes to recreational fishing there are still some stocks for which no allowance has been set aside for our collective interests, despite our 30 years’ experience with the Quota Management System.

So, we have two choices. Either we continue down the corporate path and keep serving shortterm, commercial interests, or we take the bold step by recognising the QMS experiment has failed, and we set about restoring the Public Service ethos we used to have.

Ultimately, if we want future generations to enjoy abundant fisheries and a healthy marine environment we all need to stop spending their inheritance.

Instead we need to set our focus on how we can achieved long-term benefits from the use of our natural marine resources. https://www.legasea.co.nz/ subscribe/ Call 0800 LEGASEA (534 273) Email us info@legasea.co.nz Subscribe at www.legasea.co.nz/subscribe Read more at www.facebook.com/legasea

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL NEWS

I

dentifying dolphins using photos of the unique pigment patterns on their fins can be used to help with their management, says NIWA scientist Dr Krista Hupman. She is the lead author of two new scientific papers outlining an accurate method of counting dolphins using photo identification.

Scientists catalogue animals to determine how many of them occupy a region to determine how their populations are faring. Until now they have often used aerial or shipboard surveys for this purpose but Dr Hupman says it’s really hard to know how many dolphins there are of some species because they travel over large distances and don’t have any distinctive markings. But we’ve developed a reliable photoidentification method.

Between 2010 and 2013 Dr Hupman and a team of researchers collected more than 240,000 images of

dolphins in the Hauraki Gulf of which 31,000 were compared manually using nicks and notches and pigmentation patterns and which resulted in 2083 unique individuals being identified. The study forms the largest catalogue of common dolphins worldwide.

Dr Hupman adds: “We want to create a fully computer-automated system for identification for a number of whales and dolphins from photographs and video captured in the field.”

She says that ecologists should consider the use of photoidentification for generating population estimates for poorly marked dolphins and that the methods described in their papers could be implemented for similar animal populations worldwide.

An early step was to apply an algorithm to classify individuals based on their pigmentation

Photo: Krista Hupman

Knowing your dolphins

Dolphin showing pigmentation patterns of dorsal fins on common dolphins.

patterns alone, and this has resulted in a much faster and efficient system for cataloguing individual animals. The algorithm can match an image to the catalogue in a matter of seconds.

In a next stage Dr Hupman and her colleagues developed an online tool to streamline the process (http://photoid.ninja), which is now being used by cetacean scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The papers are at: http://journals.plos.org/plosone www.nature.com/articles

New data urges government to help dolphins on the brink

W

hale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) is raising concerns over the government’s failure to meet election promises for protection of the endangered Hector’s dolphins and critically endangered Ma-ui dolphins.

The concern follows the release of new data that shows the dolphins are active around the top of the South Island.

Before the 2017 election, the government made promises to protect them but little has been done since.

There are fewer than 60 Ma-ui dolphins left, and the Hector’s population is just 20% of its former size. The major threats to them are from set-netting and trawls in coastal regions.

Protected areas for the dolphins were designated in 2008 but did not include Cook Strait and the Taranaki Bight areas. A lack of data cited as the reason.

But now, the Hector’s dolphin sighting database has recorded a jump from 45 to 227 sighting

events around the top of the South Island since an app was launched less than two years ago, in partnership with WDC and the Department of Conservation (DOC).

People are encouraged to download the app and record their sightings of Hector’s, Ma-ui dolphins, and other species, and upload images to help species identification.

The WDC says the increase in data gives the government a fresh incentive to fulfil their election promises to increase protection of the dolphins and make the transition to selective fishing methods which are better for inshore ecosystems.

WDC is running an international public petition urging the government to keep its election promises and protect the dolphins. whales.org/savenzdolphins .

The petition asks the New Zealand government to protect Hector’s - ui dolphin habitat, across and Ma Cook Strait at the top of the South Island. The Taranaki Bight area is

also home to Aotearoa’s Blue whale breeding ground, and to many other whale and dolphin species in Cook Strait.

Labour said in its manifesto prior to election that it would “promote the recovery of Ma-ui and Hector’s dolphin populations by ensuring that only dolphinsafe fishing methods are used throughout the natural range of these dolphins, in all areas less than 100 metres deep.” And that it would “implement a phase-out of destructive and unsustainable fishing methods (such as bottom trawling, dredging and set netting) that harm vulnerable marine habitats”.

www.divenewzealand.com 25

The Poor Knights Islands

20 years on

Story and photos by Dave Abbott October this year marks a special anniversary in New Zealand’s marine history, the 20th anniversary of the Poor Knights Islands becoming a full, no-take Marine Reserve.

These iconic offshore islands are New Zealand’s flagship reserve, and like a fine wine, they just keep on getting better year after year.

Poor Knights from the air, showing the reserve's clear blue waters

T

he Poor Knights have the highest diversity of marine species anywhere in New Zealand; in this one place you can see anything from stacking stingrays to Sunfish, turtles to giant salps, sharks, seals, and Manta rays. In all around 187 recorded species of fish, many of which have not been recorded anywhere else in New Zealand.

The islands are also home to an incredible array of invertebrate life, from colourful sponges and ascidians to Black coral trees and leopard anemones.

New sightings

Every year new sighting-records add to this growing catalogue of biodiversity within the reserve;

recent discoveries include minute pygmy seahorses, several new nudibranchs and a variety of tropical fish visitors. Some of these fish, like the Gold Ribbon grouper and Yellow banded Perch have tolerated our cooler waters and become Poor Knights residents for many years. Other rare open-ocean visitors sweep into the reserve’s waters only in the summer months, from Starry Toados (a pelagic pufferfish) to Argonauts (Paper nautilus) and Manta rays.

With 60+ diversities and so much incredible sea life, the Poor Knights Marine Reserve provides incalculable value for educating and inspiring people to care about the marine environment. Something

like 15,000 divers from around the world experience the ‘Knights’ each year - the reserve has ‘touched’ a lot of people over the past two decades.

A healthy ecosystem

From a scientific perspective the reserve also provides a baseline for what a healthy ecosystem should look like, and many research opportunities for marine scientists.

The reserve also offers amazing scope for ‘citizen scientists’ and photographers to contribute to our knowledge through their observations and images.

On a social and economic level the reserve has brought millions into the economy, provided many local jobs and business opportunities, as

Poor Knights Timeline

1769

Captain Cook names the islands after a popular European pudding 26 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

1820

Maori declare the islands Tapu after an inter-tribal massacre

1936

Pigs leftover from Maori occupation are eradicated

A large hermitcrab about to change homes!

well as putting New Zealand on the world map as a top dive destination.

Most importantly the Poor Knights Marine Reserve has provided a rare haven for marine life to exist largely undisturbed, a place where we can experience the underwater world as it would be with minimal human exploitation.

Achieving ‘No Take’ status

Achieving the full ‘No-take’ status for the Poor Knights was a long and hard-fought process however.

Curious seal watching divers below

The islands were granted ‘Nature Reserve’ status back in the 70’s, and then in 1981 received partial Marine Reserve status, with recreational fishing and spearfishing still allowed in 95% of its area.

easily relate to resulting from the reserve implementation is the huge increase in Snapper numbers; surveys show an 800% increase in Snapper biomass within the marine reserve since 1998.

Finally, 17 years later after much dispute, the islands were granted full no-take reserve status in October 1998. Now, 20 years on, it is hard to argue against the value that the reserve has rewarded us with, from any perspective.

At a time when we are constantly bombarded by news reports of coral bleaching, red tides, ocean acidification, plastic waste and crashing fish stocks, it is hugely encouraging to have a success story like this in our own backyard.

One statistic most people can

Coincidentally I started diving and

Orca pass a dive boats at the Poor Knights

1977

The islands are granted Nature Reserve status

1981

A Marine Reserve is established, the second in New Zealand after the reserve at Leigh

1998

Full ‘no take’ marine reserve status is granted extending 800m out from land www.divenewzealand.com 27

Happy diver discovering a scorpionfish

59 species of ascidians (a group of encrusting wall life)

working at the Poor Knights the same year it became a full marine reserve so I have been privileged to witness firsthand how the Knights have changed over the last two decades. After making around 1800 dives around the islands they are also a ‘home’ to me, and I have been heartened to see how well a marine ecosystem can recover when left undisturbed.

52 species of echinoderms (sea-urchins/ sea-cucumbers etc)

A very special place

Poor Knights marine life by numbers 187 recorded fish species (includes visiting pelagic species) 121 species of seaweeds 140 species of sponges 353 molluscs (includes nudibranchs & cephalopods)

10 species of marine mammal 14 species of elasmobranches (sharks and rays) 27 species of seabirds

Another summer visitor to the Knights, a sunfish

28 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

There’s no doubt the Poor Knights hold a special place in many divers hearts for their stunning underwater archways, spectacular topside scenery and their prolific marine life.

Roboastra nudibranches, one of the Poor Knights' biggest species

The Poor Knights are famous for their archways A scared bunch of Starry Toado fleeing from hungry snapper

If the islands’ weren’t also a no-take marine reserve however, with the abundance of life that brings, they would not be the same drawcard they are today for divers from all over the world. That they are, is largely thanks to the efforts of some special individuals who explored, advocated, fought for, and finally achieved protection for the Poor Knights islands - icons like Wade and Jan Doak, Roger Grace, Jeroen Jongelans, Lew Ritchie, Phil Bendle, and many others who put in their all, and made the reserve a reality.

This year’s anniversary is a chance to celebrate their legacy and to appreciate the positive changes over the last 20 years that have been brought about at the Poor Knights. I am looking forward to seeing what the next 20 years brings to this very special place!

www.divenewzealand.com 29

pearos notebook

S

Getting ready for the World Spearfishing Champs, Sagres, Portugal

P

reparation is key for spearfishing competition such as the World Spearfishing Champs as knowledge of the area and species is extremely important. So our New Zealand team of three headed to Sagres, Portugal where this year’s competition was to be held several weeks early to spend much time out scouting familiarizing ourselves with the resident fish; we needed to learn about their behavior, tidal movements and changing conditions.

Diving the Atlantic Ocean poses many variables: water temperature between 13-22 degrees; an exposed coastline which is sometimes pounded by swells big enough to push over the surrounding cliffs more than 60 metres high.

The bigger the swell, the more prolific the fish were in the shallows. The local divers along this coastline are comfortable in

Young Coby Herbert holding up a big crab his dad caught. We got plenty of these when diving

big swells; they hunt fish right into the turbulent white water. I did not have the skill set or local experience to target fish there when the swells were big, so I spent time in the 10 -30metre zone where there were still fish but not in such big numbers.

Species on the list

Most of the scouting was spent with a torch looking in a lot of holes and crevasses. In this competition Moray and Conger eels, Red cod and Scorpion fish were all on the list and they like specific holes, and can often be found together.

But a check in on these holes later would sometimes find the fish gone. As a team we all had the new Garmin MK1 watches allowing us to mark spots while diving. These were great. We could mark a hole from above and the watch could put us directly on the spot later when the competition was on.

Competitors all out scouting

Every day other boats were scouting the same areas as us, finding the exact same holes and the fish in them. This is the challenge of these competitions; in the end there are no secrets. It’s just important to educate yourself on the area and give yourself as many options as possible.

We were lucky enough to make friends with a local guy who was extremely helpful. He provided us with invaluable local knowledge including sunken wrecks and hidden rocks. The shipwrecks were useful to know as they are great hiding places for many different species of fish and eels.

In the competition you are allowed three Moray eels and three Conger eels; we spent a lot of time marking them hoping they would be there on competition day and also lucky enough to be the first one to get to them. It might seem strange that eels would be on the list, but they

30 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

with Jackson Shields

are a delicacy in Portugal. People love to eat them.

Nervous fish

During the competition lead up it was important to spend some time actually learning how to spear the different species. The fish are more difficult to spear than in New Zealand; they are very active, constantly on the move. The only time they seem to be still is when they are in a hole, but even then they spook easily. We spent time too, spearing north of the competition areas where we found some great fish and nice diving. We ate fish every second or third night to try out all the different species. But it was soon apparent that scouting the fish was easy part. Once shot at they would disappear or become extremely timid, behaviours heightened when 70 divers and boats were in the water on competition day!

As the opening ceremony approached, we started developing our strategy for the competition.

Just a few of the Snapper species found in Portugal

L to R: Geoff Crawford, Ian Warnock (Manager), Dwane Herbert, Jackson Shields, Rowan Virbickas

Jackson with a nice Dentex that can be found both in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, a difficult fish to spear

Bearing in mind there were 70 boats blasting around the area scaring fish away, and the likelihood that other divers will be diving on top of you. Then we narrowed our scouting to those areas we figured were the best points of the tide to dive at each spot.

We were about to find out how hectic the competition was going to get….

Two days out from the competition and no further scouting was allowed. It was time to rest up, prepare the gear, and spend hours running over plans. Including a backup plan, and a back up to our back up plan.

Next issue: How the competition played out.

Three tiger sharks caught, shot dead after attacks off Australia's Whitsunday Islands he reports of shark attacks off Australia’s Whitsunday Islands last month and the subsequent ‘revenge’ shootings of three Tiger sharks nearby are a lamentable and primitive response

by Fisheries Queensland to these tragic accidents, Dive Pacific says.

A girl, Hannah Papps aged 12 was fighting for her life after a shark attack, and the other casualty was recovering in the intensive care unit at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after enduring 18 hours of reconstructive surgery to her injured right leg.

In response Fisheries Queensland set baited hooks attached to drums to catch some sharks in Cid Harbour near where the people were mauled, and when they hooked three Tiger sharks, they shot them.

Fisheries Queensland said one of the sharks measured 3.3 metres and the other two over two metres.

Fisheries Queensland said: "While sharks of this size are potentially

very dangerous to humans, it is unclear if they were responsible for injuries caused to two swimmers this week. They added that they thought there were too many sharks in the area.

personal shark deterrent devices, aerial spotters, drone surveys, public education and alert systems play a bigger role in protecting ocean-goers.

"Stop the nonsense about speaking of 'effectiveness' only in terms of Australian environmentalists their ability to kill sharks," Clark questioned the response. Killing said. sharks in the wake of the two attacks gives swimmers a "That is lazy policy. Making false sense of security and will beaches actually safer is much not prevent more bites, said harder and unrelated to their spokespersons for Sea Shepherd ability to kill sharks."

Australia and Humane Society International. Human Drumlines being deployed at Sawmill Bay, close to Cid safety is paramount they Harbour, after two shark attacks in the Whitsundays. said, but killing sharks is not the answer.

Queensland dept of Agriculture and Fisheries

T

The state government insists killing the sharks is in the interest of public safety despite admitting it will never know if they caused the injuries.

AAP reported Sea Shepherd's Jonathan Clark saying that www.divenewzealand.com 31

The

Best of

the best Diving Dive Zone Bay of Islands' Ricamaru

I

f you want the best of New Zealand diving, then look no further than what our three Dive Zone stores can offer. All three are family owned and operated. Each is in a stunning east coast location. Each one offers easy access to a fantastic range of dive sites for all levels of diver.

Kelly & Mie of Dive Zone Bay of Islands point out they have the warmest water in New Zealand, fantastic wrecks (HMNZS Canterbury and renowned Rainbow Warrior), and the outstanding dive sites around the Cavalli Islands. All on their door step. Diving doesn’t get much better. Beautiful diving, and all in a highly scenic setting - white sandy beaches and bush clad islands set amidst a blue, blue sea.

and personal with divers. Regular visitors nearby the resident seal colony include dolphins and the occasional Orca – they make for some fantastic sea mammal encounters.

Dive Zone Tauranga is not outdone. They offer diving on the wreck of the Rena now prolific with marine life, as well as liveaboard trips to the volcanic Mayor Island and its Marine Reserve where lots of big fish hang out.

Tauranga's Rena wreck

Southwards to the green of the Coromandel is Darrell & Linda’s Dive Zone Whitianga. Here our excellent hosts – super humour and totally professional - reckon you are spoilt for choice diving the many offshore islands of the Mercury group on down to the outstanding Alderman Islands where fish are prolific and incredible structures above and below make an unforgettable day on the water.

Close to the township of Whitianga Dive Zone Whitianga is an easy run to the Cathedral Cove (Te Whanganui A Hei) Marine Reserve where the marine life is so plentiful and unafraid to get up close Matapaua to Mercury Islands

Tony & Liz note their Okaparu Reef is a wonderland of valleys, rocky crags and swim throughs, busy with interesting sea life and full of rich colour. Okapura, near the Astrolabe reef, is another of their renowned great dive sites.

The Dive Zone group pride themselves on providing safe dive experiences - all are Outdoors Mark Adventure Activity Safety Audit Approved – and they provide great crews, lots of humour and full professionalism. All are PADI 5 Star Instructors.

Whether training with us or joining one of our spectacular dive charter trips, the Dive Zone promise is they will always do everything they can to ensure your dive desires are fulfilled, and your day an outstanding experience.

32 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

www.divenewzealand.com 33

Create your own PADI Master Scuba Diver program PADI Master Scuba Divers™ are

an elite group of respected divers with a wide range of training and experience, but your path to this ultimate scuba achievement can be customised according to your interests. To earn this rating you must log 50 dives and have your PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and PADI Rescue Diver certifications, as well as five PADI Specialty courses.

Below are a few ideas to create your own program for the five PADI Specialty courses:

‘Eco’ Master Scuba Diver

Whether you’re an aspiring marine biologist, fish geek, or passionate environmentalist, an ‘Eco’ Master Scuba Diver program can greatly enhance your knowledge of underwater ecosystems including off the New Zealand coastline. You only need five specialties for the Master Scuba Diver rating, but there are several courses to consider including: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Naturalist, Fish ID, Digital Underwater Photographer, Project AWARE Shark Conservation, Coral Reef

34 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Conservation, and/or Dive Against Debris.

‘Photo/Video-focused’ Master Scuba Diver

Shooting underwater photos and video has never been easier.

That said, obtaining professional-quality images requires both training and experience. A Master Scuba Diver program that includes the Digital Underwater Photography online course (which also includes a section on video), Peak Performance Buoyancy, and Underwater Naturalist specialties will give an aspiring photographer or videographer the basic skills required to capture underwater images. The Enriched Air Diver specialty allows for longer, deeper dives.

‘Cold Water’ Master Scuba Diver

Some of the world’s coolest climates have some of the most spectacular diving – and fewer crowds. Whether you’re preparing for an epic trip in the south of New Zealand or enjoy diving in the serene winter months, the Dry Suit Diver, Ice Diver, and Full Face Mask

specialities will help you go places other divers can’t. Add Altitude Diver, Enriched Air Diver, or Wreck Diver depending on your diving destination.

Use the ideas above as a starting place for your Master Scuba Diver journey. Talk to your PADI Instructor about what specialties they would recommend, and ask about any distinctive specialties your PADI Dive Centre or Resort may offer.

In 2018, when you complete your training at a PADI Dive Shop in New Zealand the usual Master Scuba Diver application fees will be waived.* If you need to complete any of the above certifications before you earn your Master Scuba Diver rating, now is the ideal time to take these PADI courses at your local PADI Dive Shop.

Visit padi.com or your local PADI Dive Shop to take advantage of this offer!

*Offer only valid in the PADI Asia Pacific region.

Become a PADI Master Scuba Diver™ Join the best of the best in recreational scuba diving!

A Master Scuba Diver rating places you among an elite group in which fewer than 2% of divers ever join.

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Complete 5 PADI Specialty Courses

Dive, Dive, Dive!

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FREE Master Scuba Diver Rating 2018!

For a limited time, apply for your MSD rating through a PADI dive shop in New Zealand and the application fee payable to PADI will be waived*.

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© PADI 2018.

www.divenewzealand.com *Fee may still be payable to dive35 shop

Meeting the unexpected in the Philippines

By Gilbert Peterson

D

rifting on the current along a drop-off at Apo Island in the Philippines and I was reminded once again how dreamlike diving can be. Real and unreal.

In the moment, yet a dimension away from the panorama rolling past: endless table coral, giant barrel sponges, teeming fish, up and over a knoll. Body warm water enhances the other-world sensation. Nothing beats diving in the tropics.

The Philippines’ marine sanctuaries are high impact attractions, and reported to be policed rigorously. It’s no wonder over a million divers head here every year.

Our trip exposes just a glimpse of what’s on offer.

This time we won’t get to explore the fabled destinations such as Tubbataha Reef or Bohol. Besides they require a liveaboard experience. Nonetheless, our visit to Puerto Galera on Mindoro, and later to Dumaguete on Negros Oriental, fit the bill admirably for our nine day exploratory diving foray.

And to come is the strangely memorable shark diving experience at Oslob on Cebu Island.

When we land, from Manila a two and half hour drive along the highway takes us to Batangas where a 45 minute journey by sea begins, on a Bangka boat to Puerto Galera. The Bangka boats are the famous outrigged sea trucks and buses of the Philippines and, we soon learn, they make excellent, stable dive boats.

Puerto Galera is a meeting with the unexpected. The port’s history goes back to the Spaniards – fleets of Spanish and Mexican galleons used to weather storms here. Now the Sabang beach front is a busy place with footpaths for streets and just the one road over the hills.

Spread along the waterfront are 36 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

at least 30 or more dive shops and resorts – it just has to be great diving - most catering to Koreans

But we’re here in the offseason, and the rains stay away. It proves a propitious time. Not only are the streets not crowded as they will be again before long, but the resort itself, Atlantis Puerto Galera, with its faux Spanish architecture climbing up the hillside, we have mostly to ourselves. This means the exclusive attention from the waiting staff and chefs. Right away they know our names, all 10 of us, as if expecting just us, a feat I am quick to appreciate! The same applies when we move later to the Atlantis Resort in Davin near Dumaguete where culinary excellence and comfortable accommodation are customary every day.

Our dive schedule out of Puerto Galera is as full as anyone could hope. Arrive late morning, go diving twice in the afternoon and again in the evening. Repeat the next day am and pm then head to Verde Island the following day.

At Verde Island we dive the Pinnacles, a rocky structure a few hundred metres off Our host Roni Ben-Aharon fills us in on the Philippines shore. The Pinnacles are good for at least two dives and Chinese who come here by including once around the whole the Bangka boatload every day in thing, with a catered picnic lunch season. in between on the island.

Our dive group showing off our Philippines Air t-shirts LtoR: Gilbert Peterson, Stephanie Haden (Auckland University UW Club), Darrell Bird (Dive the Coromandel), Ian Sherwood (Mt. Maunganui UW Club), Brent McFadden (GoDive Marlborough), Rob Macready (Travel&Co), Laura Hutchings (Travel&Co), James Neilson (Dive Doctor), Paula & David Drane (Dive Wellington).

Apo Island Marine Reserve Apo Island is the focus of the oldest continuous marine reserve in the Philippines 7 km from Negros Island.

Established in 1994 over an area of 691.45 hectares. The rocky island itself is just 74 hectares but has a resident population of about 1000 people.

Whale shark at Oslob Photo: Ian Sherwood

it is a piece of coral.

Again my guide taps at it. And then I see it, a scorpionfish so disguised I had not noticed it at all.

The ubiquitous Bangka boats make a stable dive platform Photo: Gilbert Peterson

Giant trevally, big Sweetlips and Long Nose Emperor fish command the scene where the current runs the strongest; a large tuna swims warily past heading the other way. Along with the throngs of tropical fish we spot morays and turtles, coral fans and an octopus I watch change colour in an instant.

There’s spadefish, trumpetfish, a Peacock Mantis shrimp that our guide coaxes out of its hole, and many others so numerous I lose track of their names. Stephanie decides her favourite is the frogfish possibly because it looks simply impossible.

Then there’s the small critters; many types, and wonderfully coloured nudibranchs and shrimps, and the tiniest of pigmy seahorses which my guide pointed out or I certainly would never have seen it. The guide also points to what appears to be a larger seahorse on a piece of coral. He taps at it gently.

It doesn’t move. I stare. It seems wonderfully disguised as a piece of coral. I edge closer. Sure enough,

We head back to Manila for the flight to Dumaguete. Here, similar to Puerto Galera, good diving is moments from the beach in front of the resort. But the difference at Atlantis Demaguete is this is not populated by the many divers from other resorts.

On Sunday we head out for a dive highlight, to Apo Island, a protected no take sanctuary (see panel) which, judging by a swarm of Bangka boats at anchor, is nevertheless a most popular dive site.

Right away, the lovely coral garden beneath shows why. Soft and hard corals extend to the beyond in lush, resplendent colour. This is

In 1982 marine scientist Dr Angel Alcala began a dialogue with the island’s fishermen to try and persuade them to protect the area. After three year’s they agreed. Now the reserve is organised and protected by the local community, and the model on which hundreds of other marine sanctuaries have been created.

The Philippines are one of the world’s centres of marine biodiversity located as it is within the Coral Triangle. In all there are 31,782.0 square km2 in 375 MPAs of which 90% is in No-Take Reserves of less than one square kilometre.

The Apo Island reserve is home to over 650 fish species and 400 corals. Visitors pay to enter the reserve to snorkel or dive with the funds used for the sanctuary’s upkeep.

In 2008, Sport Diver Magazine listed Apo Island as one of the top 100 diving spots in the world.

Puerto Galera’s 30 or so dive operations crowd the Sabang beach Photo: Gilbert Peterson

www.divenewzealand.com 37

what we expect when diving in the tropics on a coral reef. A turtle sits motionless on the sea floor.

Another, further over scratches itself on a coral ledge, trying to rid itself no doubt of a parasite itch, annoyed it seems with its own remora fish: ‘you can’t seem to get good help these days.’ A banded black and white sea crake winds along to disappear down a hole.

We could stay here long after the air supply allows.

The whale sharks of Oslob Whale shark sucking in the krill at Oslob Photo: Ian Sherwood

Early on our last day we head to Oslob, a ferry ride in the resort’s Jeepney from Dumaguete. Again, we meet the unexpected.

Peacock Mantis shrimp Photo: Ian Sherwood

Turtle Photo: Ian Sherwood Frogfish Photo: Brent McFadden, Go Dive, Picton

For our snorkeling with the whale sharks we don light dive suits to thwart any stingers then drive a few minutes to the Oslob beach.

It’s early but already the place is jostling with hundreds of people queuing to board their assigned outrigger canoe. The canoes take 12 at a time, and a dozen of them are out on the water at any one time during the three or four hours of the daily shark feeding. In four years of the operation tens of thousands of people have been up close with these sharks like this.

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Ancient cannon at Puerto Galera Photo: Gilbert Peterson

Take your marks Photo: Gilbert Peterson

ously low earning fishermen who feed the sharks, and it’s changing the sharks.

Each canoe load is allotted 30 minutes as the sharks imbibe an easy meal, following the ‘krill’ or minced squid spooned over the side in front of them. We have to wear a lifejacket going out then swap those out for dive masks.

It’s an odd feeling being in the water no more than an arms’ length from such an enormous animal. They are totally indifferent to people; they just suck in huge volumes of water along with the krill/squid.

Our photographers swim under

and around trying to get the definitive shot of the fish, and each other with the fish. We are told we must not get closer than four metres to the animals but that proves impossible. The sharks are closer than that to the canoes and when not diving, we’re between them and the canoes… it was a strange experience… before it became a tourist attraction Oslob used to be a slaughter house.

The equally ubiquitous motorbike 'bus' Photo: Gilbert Peterson Shrimp Photo: Ian Sherwood

Some thousands of years ago humans domesticated cows and other animals – is this the same?

Are we now domesticating whale sharks? What do you think? Send me an email to: divenz@divenewzealand.co.nz

We got around in the resort's Jeepney Photo: Gilbert Peterson

Our trip to the Phillipines was professionally arranged and managed by Travel&co. www.travelandco.nz hilippines Airways flies direct to Manila P from Auckland and the Australian cities.

Being on the equator the time difference between the longest day and the shortest is 42 minutes Season: The rainy season runs from June to early October but we found a dry spell in late August.

Temperature: Temperatures are high during March and April. Slightly cooler months are December to February.

Accommodation: Atlantis Resort at Puerto Galera on Sabang Beach offers Flintstone-like accommodation in an all-inclusive dive format with excellent cuisine.

Atlantis Resort in Dauin is a beachfront dive resort specializing in an all-inclusive dive vacation. Excellent cuisine. www.atlantishotel.com

40 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

www.divenewzealand.com 41

Habits and habitats : The extreme biodiversity of marine life in Wakatobi waters is evidence of the many fascinating ways that species have evolved to survive and thrive in this seemingly crowded habitat. Here’s some interesting facts about just a few of these unusual creatures.

The Homesteaders

Another fascinating group of sand dwellers is the shrimp gobies and their attendant crustacean companions. The relationship between these species has one playing lookout while the other excavates and cleans house.

Photo by Emma Holman

Photo by Glen Cowans

A number of aquatic excavators dig in, moving sand and rock to create a safe haven, and amongst the more entertaining of these are the jawfish. As you approach, a jawfish may rise up a few inches from the bottom, raising its fins and flaring its gill covers in a display of territorial aggression. If you remain still, they may return to their ongoing chore: burrow maintenance. You’ll often catch them popping up from their hole with a mouthful of sand, which is spit out and possibly exchanged for a small rock or shell, which is dragged below to shore up the burrow walls.

Starfish are iconic creatures with the most rudimentary central nervous systems, and eyespots that can only detect the difference between light and dark.

Ships of the desert After a spawn, the male jawfish will take custody of the eggs, which are carried in their mouths.

Photo by Walt Stearns

Jawfish live alone, save for brief interludes when a couple may share a hole during mating season. After the spawn, the males take custody of the eggs, carried in their outsized mouths. The males can be quite territorial. If one excavates too close to another’s burrow, the ensuing turf war will involve a lot of posturing and possibly some jousting with jaws agape.

Randall’s shrimp goby (Amblyeleotris randalli), known

for it’s gold bars and halo, usually pair up with the Alpheus shrimp.

42 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Photo by Erik Schlogl

Just as camels can roam far and wide across the deserts of the Sahara, some marine organisms are adapted to thrive on the ocean’s sand seafloor. The most visually appealing of these are starfish, which have been around for 500 million years, and can live for up to 30 years. These echinoderms move about on hundreds of ‘tube feet’ which are also used to capture and hold food; some species can zip along at speeds of up to an two centimetres a second.

Fire urchins like this one prefer an open bottom such as sand and grass beds and tend to move in groups.

Another echinoderm is the urchins. Beneath their bristling array of spines, urchins are covered in a series of hard calcium plates and move about on five rows of paired tube feet.

Wakatobi critters Part I

Photo by Walt Stearns

Photo by Wade Hughes

Sea cucumbers play a vital role in the health of the ecosystem as the janitors of the sand. These oftenoverlooked echinoderms move about by flexing their bodies and inching along the seafloor, sucking in detritus, digesting and ejecting it as clean sand.

During the daytime, you might come across the beady eyes of a flounder protruding from the sand.

Starfish often have hitchhikers aboard such as this blue starfish shrimp, which takes on the same colour as its host.

For divers and underwater photographers, the most interesting aspects of starfish, urchins and sea cucumbers are often the tiny hitchhikers found riding along on them. These passengers include commensal crabs, small shrimp, and even the occasional nudibranch. To escape notice, some take on the colouration of their host. In Wakatobi waters a particular species of blue shrimp is found on blue starfish.

Sand hunters

Even more elusive are the snake eels, which have an uncanny ability to burrow tail-first into the sand, seemingly disappearing right before a diver’s eyes. Of the various species of snake eels the one most likely to come out and forage about during daylight is the Harlequin, which has a white and black striped body that mimics the pattern of the toxic banded sea snake so it can move about with relative immunity from predators.

Among the other ambushers that cover themselves in sand are the stonefish and scorpionfish. One, the spiny devil scorpionfish has earned a laundry list of ominous nicknames, from Demon Stinger to Bearded Ghoul Fish. It represents a compelling reason for divers to practice good buoyancy control!

Gunards are often found trekking across the bottom, using their pectoral fins to push off the bottom as they search for small worms and crustaceans.

Trekking is an apt word because gunards are often found walking across the bottom on their elongated and folded pectoral fins in the search for small worms and crustaceans. When startled, gunards may open their pectoral fins to create wing-like shapes that can display bright, iridescent color patterns.

Photo by Walt Stearns

Photo by Wakatobi Resort

The open, sandy underwater plains of Wakatobi are also patrolled by predators. Some roam in the open, while others lie in ambush. One intriguing group of hunters trekking the sands is the gunards.

Flounder are particularly good at blending into their sandy surroundings. Most often, you won’t notice a flounder until it becomes spooked by your passing, and makes a darting escape.

It’s not often that the spiny devil scorpionfish will move about, but when it does it walk across the bottom rather than swim.

Because, when feeling threatened, a spiny devil will raise a poison-tipped row of spikes along its back, creating a sharp and toxic deterrent, and when hidden in the sand it could lead to a potentially painful contact.

www.divenewzealand.com 43

Photo by Walt Stearns

It takes luck and keen eyes to spot one of the most bizarre bottom dwellers in Wakatobi waters. The stargazer’s appendages that appear to be teeth growing outside the jaw are actually comb-shaped fringes, which help keep sand out of the fish’s mouth when it buries itself, literally, up to its eyeballs. Those ghoulish eyes are equipped with fluid-filled chambers that can raise the lenses away from the head, allowing the stargazer to see in all directions while remaining concealed.

Photo by Marco Fierli, marcof8.com

Photo by Walt Stearns

This warty frogfish’s lure, or esca, resembles a tiny shrimp, which is used to tantalize and attract prey.

With bulging eyes and a strip of what appears to be jagged teeth, a stargazer’s gargoyle-like appearance could earn it a spot in a horror film.

Striking out

Photo by Steve Miller

The crocodilefish blends into its surroundings, remaining motionless for long periods. But its senses remain on high alert. Should a potential meal swim within range, the crocodilefish will lunge forward with a powerful flick of its tail, engulf the victim and swallow it whole.

When prey is close, the frogfish makes one of the most impressive inhales in nature, expanding its oral cavity up to twelve times.

It sprouts from its forehead an appendage known as the illicium, a fishing rod with a lure known as the esca, which can resemble a worm, shrimp or some other marine delectable. Otherwise every aspect of their body can adapt to match its surroundings with one part mimicking the warty-yellow appearance of a sponge, while another sprouts hair-like growths to resemble a clump of moss. Their angling attracts small crustaceans and fish. When the prey is close, in as little as 6 milliseconds, the frogfish will expand its oral cavity up to 12 times normal size, generating a powerful suction and engulfing creatures half its own size.

Preying mantis

The peacock mantis shrimp has the fastest feeding strike of any animal in the world, over 10 times faster than the blink of an eye, or the speed of a .22-bullet.

This shrimp is a “smasher” - it can shatter clamshells with ease, or slice human fingers to the bone.

Photo by Walt Stearns

Stargazers may go fishing by raising a small strip of skin attached to their lower jaw and once this lure has drawn prey within range, a stargazer will quickly bend its spine, then spring out into the open to engulf the victim. The strike takes place in about 30 milliseconds, 10 times faster than the blink of an eye. Another weapon in the stargazer’s arsenal is a specialized muscle tissue on the top of the head which can generate an electric shock of up to 50 volts. The charge doesn’t have the lethality of an electric eels 500-volt zap, but will stun and disorient prey, or deter a would-be predator.

One of the evolutionary tricks that aids the crocodilefishs’ concealment are the frilly growths partially covering their eyes, which hides the gleam that could warn prey.

False advertising

The frogfish rarely swims, and when it does move, it is more likely to stump along the bottom on leg-like fins. Since they stand no chance of chasing down a meal they let it come to them with tricks known to fishermen the world over.

44 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

The “smasher” Peacock mantis shrimp has the fastest feeding strike of any animal in the world.

For more go to www.wakatobi.com

Toi Ohomai course leads to ocean dream job to biosecurity surveillance, so that involves checking for invasive species through dive surveys, setting crab traps, and intertidal shore searches.”

Lily, 24, completed the Toi Ohomai Diploma in Environmental Management (Marine Strand) in 2014 and says the course totally sparked her passion. She went on to complete a BSc in Marine Biology. ily Pryor Rodgers (pictured) is living the dream in her favourite workplace – the big blue ocean.

A typical day at work could see her diving anywhere from Stewart Island to the Bay of Islands and every port in between.

L

“Studying at Toi Ohomai was awesome and I gained a lot of field skills which I use all the time. Our tutors were amazing and so knowledgeable in their respective fields, and with small class sizes you can build really good relationships with them and other students.”

As a NIWA Marine Ecology Technician based in Christchurch Lily gets to work throughout the country on a variety of research projects and spends a lot of time underwater.

Course highlights included diving in Papua New Guinea and field trips around Aotearoa, as well as the “incredible friendships” you make, Lily said.

“Most of the field work is related

“Even if there’s frost on the beach, get in for that early morning dive.

You won’t regret it!

START PLANNING FOR 2019 0800 86 46 46 | toiohomai.ac.nz

www.divenewzealand.com 45

GEARBAG Now you can take your phone underwater…

The Submacam underwater phone case ensures the shooting function of your smart phone works perfectly, and it’s convenient and safe! Its vacuum-sensing system can let you know the case is safe at any time, so you can focus more on your shooting.

The features claimed are: • Waterproof 60m • Underwater compass • Vacuum-sensing system • Extended Lens Connector • 4000 lumens multi-function video Lamp • Buoyancy arm Product samples and brochures are available for dive instructors and dive shops to test.

Versatile RV-300 transducer offers RealVision 3D sonar for all boat types Raymarine’s versatile new RV300 Plastic All-In-One Through Hull Transducer delivers a full 180-degrees of life-like RealVision 3D™ sonar in all conditions and regardless of the boat’s construction, hull design or means of propulsion.

The transducer has a built-in attitude and heading reference system to stabilise sonar imagery, and compensate automatically for vessel motion to deliver crystalclear imagery of the seafloor, underwater structures and fish life, even in big waves and swells, or when manoeuvring.

www.lusty-blundell.co.nz

New dive boats arrive for Ownaship Ownaship has announced their new boat arriving - a Martimo M51 - is very popular with divers so, with its shareholders consent, they’re kitting it out with four on-board tanks and a top of the range Bauer Oceanus- w compressor which can fill two tanks in 20 minutes Five of the six shareholders in the new boat are keen divers and they’re already planning expeditions to the Poor Knights, Great Barrier and Mercury Islands.

Ownaship manages a fleet of some 14 powerboats, yachts and launches. www.ownaship.co.nz

Introducing ZOONO, anti-mould agent ZOONO® is proven against mould, odour-causing bacteria and algae so is ideal for use in a marine environment. Great to use on squabs, seats, marine carpet, life jackets, RIBs, cooking and refrigerator units, marine toilets, fishing equipment etc. Just spray on.

Use ZOONO® ZAM Mould & Surface Cleaner to remove all mould spores before applying ZOONO® Microbe Shield Mould Guard to provide long-term protection against surface mould. Non-toxic and environmentally friendly. New Zealand CRI Landcare Research vouches for it.

The ZOONO® brand is a proven and successful commercial product range globally. Available online only at www.zoono.com 46 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

HUNTING ESSENTIALS

PRODIVE ADULT SPORT SILICONE MASK & SNORKEL SET

PRODIVE 3MM STEAMER

PRODIVE HANDSPEAR

PRODIVE FREE DIVE FIN

Find out where to buy at www.prodive.co.nz

Proudly distributed by www.divenewzealand.com 47 Outdoor Sports NZ Ltd

GEARBAG Yamaha announces 2019 WaveRunner Range Yamaha New Zealand has announced their 2019 WaveRunner line-up with exciting new model additions, model upgrades, and new colour and styling options.

Leading the charge is the much-anticipated redesign of Yamaha’s flagship luxury-performance and feature-packed FX Series. The 2019 Series retains the 1.8 Litre, four-cylinder marine engine, while bringing new and innovative design features such as a new 4.3-inch colour LCD touch-screen instrument panel, an advanced reverse assistance for easier launching off trailers, and many other features. http://www.yamaha-motor.co.nz High Performance

Luxury Performance

Recreational Lite

UNDERWATER HOUSING FOR NIKON D800

Housing 17222: $6,840.00 M16 Vacuum Pump 25625: $400.00

UNDERWATER HOUSING FOR OLYMPUS TOUGH TG5 Housing 17812: $1,440.00

*Ports, vacuum pumps, wet lenses & other accessories sold separately.

For port options please email: info@seatech.co.nz Price valid until Nov 30 2018

DISTRIBUTED BY

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AVAILABLE FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL MARINE & DIVE STORES. ALL TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME.

48 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Ph: 09 521 0684 info@seatech.co.nz

GEARBAG

D820V is a compact and lightweight USB

Wether you are on land or in the sea Orcatorch have a model to suit everyone from the beginner explorer to the experienced diver.

chargeable video light. It gives 120 degrees of super wide floodlighting with no blind angle for underwater photography, and up to 1600 lumens of light output. D820V offers three light sources: neutral white, UV and red, these options not only help your photography or videography in the dark water but can also illuminate the amazing fluorescence of marine organisms. The uniquely designed titanium alloy side button provides easy operation underwater, with a simple action to switch between light sources and a ‘safe lock mode’ to avoid accidental operation. With the USB rechargeable battery you are able to charge the torch wherever you have a USB power source, be it computer, car, wall plug or powerbank. The torch body is made from aircraft-grade high strength aluminium with a hard anodized finish, and the lens is 4mm thick, toughened glass; it is depth rated for use up to 150 metres under water. Easy to handle at 153mm long with 30mm diameter body and 45mm diameter head. The torch comes with a smart rechargeable li-ion battery, usb cable, lanyard and o-rings.

Small tactile waterproof torches suitable for the car, dive bag, bikers, underwater photographers and action adventurers.

DI

VE

www.generalmarine.co.nz

VE

2100 lumens* 336m beam*#  3h+ run time* batteries & charger included waterproof to 150m

30 D8

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Visit our store to find the torch you need.

1600 lumens*  120° wide beam 6h run time*  USB charging waterproof to 150m

DI

• Dive torches to suit everyone from the beginner to the professional (including photography models).

• A range of tactical torches to suit all action adventures.

• Small torches for in the car, bike bag or tool box.

• Great gifts for family and friends.

• Many more sizes and functions available.

00 D8 DI

Exceptional quality torches

v 20 8 D white, red or UV light

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Phone 09 309 0048. sales @ generalmarine.co.nz www.generalmarine.co.nz

waterproof to 2m 1.5m impact resistance 190 lumens*  106m beam* 60h run time*  compact, anti-roll design  runs on 1 x AA battery * maximum output # on land

www.divenewzealand.com 49

GEARBAG Submersible Systems Spare Air 300 Sky Divers won't jump without a reserve parachute. Why would you dive without a Spare Air, the smallest redundant SCUBA system available with enough air to get you to the surface in an out-of-air emergency?

For the safety minded diver, or just extra air as a miniature SCUBA system Maximum Capacity: 85 litres; Length: 34 cm; Diameter: 5.71 cm Maximum Pressure: 3000 psi / 200 bar; Weight (full): .985 kg Surface Breaths: 57 (Based on 1.6 litres per breath); Water Volume: .44 litres • Easily refills from your own SCUBA tank, includes refill adapter (patented) • Easily attaches to your BC ; small, hands-free, nearly neutrally buoyant • Breathe on demand regulator - No complicated instructions Faster than buddy breathing, easier than an octopus Available at Dive Doctor, Auckland, NZ, 09 530 8117 Email: info@divedoctor.co.nz

BigBlue torches The versatile adjustable beam VTL6300P rechargeable LED torch creates a emits white 6500K light.

The adjustable beam is a flood at 120° as well as a 10° narrow beam.

(Output not adjustable in narrow beam setting.) It comes with a yellow filter.

Both feature: • Four levels of brightness for wide beam, as well as SOS and red light • Battery indicator • Rechargeable batteries and chargers Trade enquiries welcome p: 09 521 0684 e: info@seatech.co.nz w: www.seatech.co.nz

50 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

• Changeable light heads • Hand mounts as well as ball joint mounts • 100m tested.

The VL6000P rechargeable LED light is an extra wide beam 120° light that emits a warmer, more sunlight-yellow 5000K light.

New Free Dive Fins by Prodive New Free Dive Fins by Prodive, where the dimensions of the fin blade have been specifically designed to optimise performance for spearfishers and free-divers. The fin technology features High Density TPR Perimeter Reinforcement to ensure maximum propulsion and speed through the water while keeping energy expenditure at a minimum.

Distributed by Outdoor Sports Ltd and available at leading Dive Shops.

RRP $129.99 www.prodive.co.nz

Aqua Lung's new dive computer Aqualung’s new i770R features wireless Bluetooth capability so you can sync your dive data via an app with your mobile device, a high vis colour screen and intuitive, compact design.

Standard features include a rechargeable battery, 3-axis full-tilt compass, easy threebutton navigation, multiple gas capability and four operating modes. Plus the option for hoseless gas integration via a paired-for-life transmitter. www.aqualung.com

Available in New Zealand Housings & accessories for select Canon, Nikon & Sony cameras

Sea Tech Ltd

P: 09 521 0684 info@seatech.co.nz www.seatech.co.nz

Visit www.seatech.co.nz for information and specifications.

Available from your professional dive store. Trade enquiries welcome.

www.divenewzealand.com 51

INCIDENTINSIGHTS WITH THE DIVERS ALERT NETWORK (DANAP]

By DAN Asia-Pacific

Oxygen first aid keeps two divers out of the Chamber

By DAN's Marty McCafferty

In two recent calls to the DAN Hotline, immediate oxygen first aid resolved symptoms and kept the divers out of the Chamber.

Case 1: Solomon Islands

A

female diver was on a weekend liveaboard trip. She completed two dives on the first day: • Dive 1: 33m for 42 minutes, surface interval of 2.5 hours • Dive 2: 24m for 40 minutes.

Both ascents were slightly faster than normal, and she had issues with bouncing and missed all safety stops.

Thirty minutes after the final dive she noted a rash over her abdomen that felt bruised, as well as swollen tender breasts.

She was given only 30 minutes of oxygen first aid and the pain and swelling continued when the oxygen stopped.

Breathing oxygen completely resolved the rash, but she still had some residual pain in her abdomen, hips and breast. The DAN DES Doctor requested another two hours on oxygen.

With the rash not reappearing, the pain gone, and the diver feeling better, she did not need to be recompressed.

The following day DAN was advised that the diver had some residual oedema that was not bothering her, the rash was completely gone, and she had normal strength in all limbs, and no dizziness or nausea.

She was advised not to dive for six weeks or fly for a week. She was also advised to have a dive medical review to consider testing for a patent foramen ovale (PFO) as her symptoms were typical of this.

The dive operator contacted the DAN DES Hotline and it was recommended that the diver breathe oxygen for at least two hours and keep up her fluids.

She started feeling better while breathing oxygen so DAN advised that they get the diver to a local clinic/hospital for a review and so she could continue breathing oxygen.

Case 2: Indonesia

The local chamber operator was made aware of the case and would be ready to recompress the diver if needed.

Immediately upon surfacing he felt weakness and was given oxygen first aid for 25 minutes.

His symptoms resolved.

52 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

A 32-year-old male had completed two technical divers to 40m for 25 minutes on 21/35 mix and completed 25 minutes of deco on 50% oxygen.

However, when he stopped breathing oxygen the weakness returned and he also developed elbow and shoulder pain.

When the call came into DAN he had been back on oxygen for an hour with some minor improvement. Considered likely to be experiencing DCI, the diver was advised to present at the local chamber for evaluation and possible recompression. He arrived at the hospital symptom free and feeling much better having breathed oxygen for around four hours by the time he arrived at the hospital. The hospital was not certain of a DCI diagnosis but he was given oxygen at a flowrate of 10 litres per minute, and fluids.

When evaluated the next morning he was asymptomatic and advised not to fly for 72 hours. He was advised also to refrain from diving until he has received a follow-up evaluation and clearance from a diving doctor.

DAN Comment These two cases are a great example of just how effective oxygen first aid can be when it is provided as soon as symptoms present following diving. They also highlight that a duration of 25-30 minutes breathing oxygen is not sufficient in relieving

symptoms and preventing them from re-appearing.

Fortunately, in both these cases, the DAN Diving Emergency Service (DES) Hotline (+61-8-8212 9242) was contacted relatively quickly, and the operators followed the advice provided by the diving doctors.

Wherever I am diving, I take DAN with me.

DAN statistics tell us that prompt, appropriate and sustained provision of near-100% oxygen by either a demand valve or a high-concentration (preferably at a flow rate of between 12-15 litres per minute) constant flow mask can decrease the severity and longevity of symptoms associated with DCI. All divers should be asking the operators they dive with, not only if they have oxygen, but how much oxygen they have available, and whether staff are trained in the provision oxygen first aid. These are all important factors in effectively managing a diver presenting DCI-related symptoms.

However, oxygen is NOT a replacement for medical advice – always call DAN DES hotline for any symptoms that appear after diving.

As you can see, it is possible to avoid recompression in a Chamber. A little preparedness, and contacting DAN for advice early on, can go a long way.

www.danap.org Need more information? Send DAN AP an email (info@danap.org) or call +61-3-9886 9166 DAN AP has launched a new blog, where we discuss topical diving health and safety issues. Visit: daninsider.org and follow us on Facebook by searching DAN Asia Pacific.

Not yet a DAN member? Join at danap.org Engage with DAN on Facebook for insights into various dive-related safety and medical issues.

Search ‘DAN Asia Pacific’ or scan here.

Worldwide Emergency Evacuation and Dive Injury Treatment Coverage from the experts in diving accident management.

www.danap.org/take_dan.php

www.divenewzealand.com 53

DIVEMEDICINE

In water recompression: Is it a good idea?

by Professor Simon Mitchell, University of Auckland A question a diver will often ask me is: “If I get symptoms of decompression sickness, why don’t I jump back in the water, descend, and thereby recompress myself straight away?”

Recompression in the water will reduce the size of the bubbles causing symptoms of DCS and surely, divers reason, the earlier the better.

N

ot surprisingly in water recompression (IWR) has been discussed among divers for decades, and few topics are more controversial. The diving medical community has been very negative about the idea and has actively discouraged it. There are some good reasons for this which I will discuss below. But stories about it being done successfully have been doing the rounds for years, and more so now that a large group of “technical” divers possess the skill and equipment mix that can make IWR a safer and effective intervention.

These divers are also increasingly finding their way to more remote places where access to recompression chambers might involve complicated, expensive and potentially hazardous evacuations.

Who is doing IWR? Digging through the medical literature one can find a modest number of papers describing the use of IWR by indigenous sea harvesters (such as Hawaiian sponge divers) and early commercial sea harvesters (such as Australian pearl divers). There are one or two papers describing IWR in recreational divers.

These accounts are generally supportive of the practice but the recurring problem with all of them is the lack of medically verified documentation of diver outcomes.

Another recurring theme in the limited available data is that IWR performed with oxygen (that is, breathing 100% oxygen during the recompression) is more successful than IWR performed

…Accounts are generally supportive of the practice but the recurring problem with all of them is the lack of medically verified documentation of diver outcomes…

Associate Professor David Doolette a decompression physiologist working for the US Navy, and I recently published a detailed review of this subject in the medical journal Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine [1]. Our aim was to bring together the modern state of knowledge on the subject, and try to provide a rational evidence based appraisal of whether it is a good idea for any recreational diving groups.

In this article I will summarise some of the key issues we raised in the paper.

54 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

using air. Not surprisingly, there is a general consensus that if IWR is performed, the breathing gas should be oxygen.

What are the concerns with IWR? Basically there is only one reason to recompress a diver back in the water early, and that is to achieve recompression quickly.

This is based on the belief that early recompression will be more effective in arresting developing symptoms and result in better outcomes for the diver.

However, there is the lack of clear proof that this one advantage of IWR (very early recompression) actually makes a significant difference to the outcome, especially because recompressions conducted in water are (for safety reasons) to lower pressures and for shorter times than the treatment protocols used in hyperbaric chambers.

This segues into the major concerns with IWR: the fact that it might not be as effective as some might believe, and that it has risks. I will deal with these issues below.

Can an early, shorter, shallower recompression be effective?

As surprising as it might seem, even in 2018 we still don’t have a clear answer on how important it is to be recompressed early. But this may be a consequence of the fact that it usually takes hours (at least) to reach a chamber, and most studies of outcomes in recreational divers with DCS involve delays to recompression that are much longer than the very short ones that could be achieved with IWR and which could perhaps result in improvement to the outcome. In our paper Professor Doolette used his access to large databases of US Navy experimental dives to look at outcomes of cases of DCS that arise in the course of study programs. Because these are studies, there is always a chamber on site and subjects developing DCS symptoms get recompressed very quickly. He found that outcomes for these

very early recompressions were almost invariably very good, even with serious symptoms.

This constitutes a very strong signal that very early recompression is more effective than delayed recompression.

To summarise this, there is reasonably strong evidence that early application of a relatively shallow (~9m) compression breathing oxygen for periods that are practical in an in-water context are effec-

…there is the lack of clear proof that this one advantage of IWR (very early recompression) actually makes a significant difference to the outcome…

The next issue we turned to was whether shorter recompressions at lower pressures could be effective. Divers recompressed in a chamber are typically taken to 2.8 atmospheres (equivalent of 18m depth) breathing pure oxygen, and they complete treatments that take five hours or more. But this would be very dangerous in the sea because of a risk of oxygen toxicity (which can manifest with loss of consciousness and a seizure) and environmental challenges like becoming cold. IWR is therefore never undertaken at depths exceeding 9m, and although protocols vary, the durations are much shorter than typical chamber recompressions.

tive in controlling or resolving symptoms of DCS. This establishes that the concept of IWR is sound.

Should we do it and how?

A message that needs to be very clearly understood is that even though there is reasonable evidential support for IWR, it has risks. Most particularly, breathing 100% oxygen at depths up to 9m carries a risk of a seizure due to oxygen toxicity. This could easily lead to drowning. This has two major implications. First, IWR should probably not be used to treat minor DCS symptoms (like a rash, or pain in a joint) that are likely to get better by themselves no matter what.

…He found that outcomes for these very early recompressions were almost invariably very good, even with serious symptoms…

This raises an obvious question about the comparative efficacy of IWR. Once again, Professor Doolette was able to utilise US Navy test program data to partly answer the question.

It is not widely known that in the development program for current, widely accepted chamber treatment protocols there was testing of shorter shallower approaches which actually were quite effective. Only a small proportion of cases did not respond adequately with compression to 10m, but because recompression to greater pressures is safe in a chamber the adopted standard became 18m.

something that is going to get better by itself. Second, IWR must only be contemplated if the victim, their underwater escort, and their surface crew are all trained in oxygen decompression procedures which imparts a knowledge of risk and procedures to enhance safety enhancing procedures.

The use of airway protection devices like full face masks or mouthpiece retaining devices is strongly recommended. There must be adequate thermal protection for the environmental conditions and the anticipated length of the IWR protocol used (some of which are described in the paper).

One very clear message that should be obvious but which I will emphasise is that groups who do not meet the equipment and training standards alluded to above should not be doing IWR. Any technical diver considering incorporating an IWR capability into their team’s activities should read the paper.

Reference: 1. D OOLETTE DJ, MITCHELL SJ. In water recompression. Diving Hyperbaric Med. 48, 84-95, 2018. doi: 10.28920/dhm48.2.84-95.

Download from: http://www. dhmjournal.com/index.php/journals/ immediate-release-articles

You could, course, but you DAN of Dive Safety 8x6cm Dive Log NZ would be taking a risk to treat

dive safety A diver collapses after a dive.

He urgently needs oxygen.

20/5/15

12:46 PM

Page 1

begins with me.

Do you know Pantoneto Colorsdo?

Version what Contact DAN: the Specialists CMYK Version www.danap.org

in Oxygen & First Aid Training and Equipment.

www.divenewzealand.com 55

S H A D E S O F C O LO U R P H OTO G R A P H I C C O M P E T I T I O N

The diversity is amazing

By Dave Moran, Editor at Large

W

hen you’re looking at the winning images you can only be grateful that divers have gone to the trouble to enter this fun competition.

Their images are inspiring. What amazing diversity of photographic subjects – let’s go diving!

The diversity of photographic equipment used is also inspiring!

You will note that a couple of SLR systems and a couple of high-end point & shoot cameras are being used by the winners.

This just reinforces the fact that due to the continuing advancement of digital photography a diver does not

need the most high-end sophisticated photographic system to produce stunning images!

All you need to do is go diving, be slightly creative in your mind’s eye, and make sure that you’re tuned in to the marine environment so that you recognise a great photographic opportunity when it presents itself!

The judges and the team at Dive New Zealand/Dive Pacific magazines look forward to receiving your personal masterpieces. See: www.divenewzealand. com click on Photo Competition. It’s free to enter. You can view galleries of all the entries over www.seatech. co.nz/blogs/shades-of-colour-photo-competition

‘Freedive in Blue Maomao Arch’, Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand: Sony RX100 Mk IV with Ikelite housing and wide wet lens, 2 x Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobes – f/6.3, 1/160, ISO250

A dvanced Category Winner:

Congratulations Simone Matucci, New Zealand

56 56 Dive DiveNew NewZealand Zealand| |Dive DivePacific Pacific

Simone was enjoying his backyard, the Poor Knights Islands, when he captured this stunning image of a freediver surrounded by Blue

Maomao in, you guessed it, Blue Maomao Arch Simone receives a Gift Voucher for NZ$100.

Judges’ Comments: One judge, who is rather flamboyant, commented, “This photographer has followed the wisdom of Colonel Prescott, American Revolutionary war hero at Bunker Hill: ‘Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!’”

Advanced Highly Commended:

Congratulations Mark Blomfield, New Zealand.

Mark was diving a very special diving location in New Zealand: Cape Bret. It’s a magical place. You never know what will appear during your dive!

Mark receives a Gift Voucher for NZ$75.

Judges’ Comments:

‘Moray eel’’; Cape Bret, New Zealand: Nikon D7200 with Sea&Sea housing, 105mm Nikon lens, YSD2 strobe – f/13, 1/100, ISO100

A very sharp image with perfect exposure, good colour and a nice soft bokeh in background. The colour of the eyes and teeth look surreal. The image is very tightly composed. Adding a little more space at the top and bottom of the frame would have improved the effect of this hello-are-you-my-dinner image.

Novice Highly Commended: Congratulations, Dan Westerkamp, New Zealand.

During New Zealand’s winter Dan was diving a difficult location to get to – Cuvier island off the Coromandel Peninsula – when he unexpectedly came across a tropical visitor, a green turtle.

I wonder if it was one of the rehabilitated turtles from Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s in Auckland?

Dan receives a Gift Voucher for NZ$50.

Judges’ Comments:

Nice marine community scene!

Great to see a turtle amongst New Zealand fish life. If cropped slightly on the left side it would have taken away the few fish which are half way out of the frame. Beautiful to see this image!

‘Winter Turtle’; Cuvier island, New Zealand: Canon 7D Mk II with Ikelite housing, Tokina 10mm lens, Ikelite DS-125 & DS-160 strobes – f/8, 1/250, ISO400

www.divenewzealand.com 57

S H A D E S O F C O LO U R P H OTO G R A P H I C C O M P E T I T I O N

‘Triplefin on sponge’’; Wellington, New Zealand: Olympus E-PL5 camera with Olympus PT-EP10 housing; Sea&Sea YS-D1 strobe – f/13, 1/160, ISO200

Novice Category Winner: Congratulations, Mike Johnston, New Zealand.

Mark was exploring Rocky Bay near Titahi Bay, in Wellington when he spotted this cute little Triplefin on a sponge.

Judges’ Comments: A well-lit, nice sharp image. It would have scored higher if composed in a portrait format (rotating 90 degrees counterclockwise). Also, by reducing the negative space around the subject.

Mike receives a Gift Voucher for NZ$75.

Thanks to all those who entered this fun competition. The judges, Iain Anderson and Andy Belcher and the team at Dive New Zealand/ Dive Pacific magazines look forward to receiving your photographic masterpieces in October for the February/March 2019 issue of the magazine.

See: www.seatech.co.nz click on Photo Competition.

It’s free to enter.

58 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Are you a Novice Photographer?

We are looking for more NOVICE ENTRIES for our competition page - remember it's free to enter.

Sea Tech is the official New Zealand distributor of Ikelite, Fantasea, Inon, Bigblue, Nauticam and other leading brands of underwater photographic equipment.

Visit: www.seatech.co.nz or for personal service email: info@seatech.co.nz

A selection of notable photos entered for this edition's competition

(N) Stuart Loubser

(A) Dave Baxter

(A) Simone Matucci

(N) Stephen Hopkins

(A) Gaetano D. Gargiulo

(A) Sarah Milicich

www.divenewzealand.com 59

DIGITALIMAGING Hans Weichselbaum www.digital-image.co.nz

From colour to black & white Colour has been part of photography since 1936 when Kodak introduced their first multi-layered colour film.

Today’s digital cameras produce colour images anyway and why would anyone want to take the colours out, except perhaps for a cheap newspaper print?

I can think of two reasons. Underwater photography is one. Yes, there are the eye-catching and colourful images you will find in this journal, often close-ups taken with flash light. Then there are those shots which only have one colour: a boring dull-blue. Image 1 shows an example.

Using Channels

Image 1

You can try all the usual tricks to improve the colours with this using Levels, Curves and Colour Balance, but every attempt to shift the colour equilibrium from cyan to red, or from blue to yellow, will only make things worse.

Original Colour Image (photo: Reid Quinlan)

Have a look at the individual colour channels in the RGB Channel palette above. I use Photoshop, but most image editors provide the necessary tools. Now we can see the problem: the red channel is almost entirely black, which means that there is no information in that channel. That’s because water absorbs the longer wavelengths of the colour spectrum, starting with the reds and then also affecting the yellows. This can be improved in close-up shots, but not in an image like the above, where all the red/yellow information has been lost for good.

If you click on one of the channels in the Channel palette, you will see a greyscale image of that particular channel. Green and blue are quite similar, with the blue channel being the lighter one (having more information). The blue channel also carries a lot more detail on the rocks and corals. If you have one of the channels displayed and then go to Image > Mode > Greyscale, you will get a B&W image based on that particular channel.

60 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

This is one way of turning a colour image into B&W. Its not my preferred method, but in this case where we only want the information from the blue channel, it is the quickest way.

We are now left with a B&W image and after some contrast increase we get to image 3. I also added a light blue tint using a technique I’ll describe later. I leave it for the reader to decide if it is an improvement on the original. At least it

shows us some detail in the rocks, giving the image more depth.

The second reason for turning a colour image into B&W is to give it an artistic touch. Colour can be distracting. The lack of hue brings out hidden and suppressed qualities (this might be the reason why brides like to have B&W images in their album). B&W captures the abstract graphics of a scene and lets us focus on the essentials. It requires imagination to complete the picture.

Image 3

B&W Version Based on the Blue Channel (Blue Tinted)

New dimension Digital B&W opens up a totally new dimension because it gives you total control over the way colours are translated into shades of grey. Yes, you can set your camera to B&W and let a machine do the conversion. But why would you do that? There are so many ways of expressing colours with shades of grey, and controlling this process allows you to unleash your creativity.

I want to start with conventional ways of turning colour into B&W then introduce more powerful techniques.

•C onventional B&W conversions As already mentioned, you can simply switch your camera to B&W. However, if your camera is set to JPEG then the colour information is lost forever.

Starting from a colour image the easiest way to convert it into B&W is to just change the mode from RGB to Greyscale. This mixes the three colour channels in a certain way (30% red, 59% green, and 11% blue). Another route is to use Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.

This literally pulls all the colour out of the pixels. Or you can pull the Saturation slider in the Hue/ Saturation dialogue box all the way to the left. Another method is to convert the image from RGB into the LAB mode and discard the two colour channels.

All these techniques will give you different results, which can be more or less pleasing, but they don’t give you any control about the outcome. Let’s stop and remember what the old B&W film was doing. It translated the various colours shades into different grey values. Every film had its individual colour characteristics, that is why we preferred certain films for portrait, landscapes etc.

On top of that we had colour filters, eg a blue filter would lighten the blue sky, while an orange filter would darken it, but lighten skin tones, and so on.

In the digital darkroom we can control the way each colour translates into shades of grey. It is like choosing the type of B&W film you would use for that type of

image, and it allows you to experiment with various colour filters.

You might even add film grain to simulate a typical Tri-X look.

B&W photography, plus some quite extreme ones such as Infrared and Maximum Black. It also allows you to save your own presets.

• More sophisticated B&W conversion methods

Click on the Tint box if you want your B&W image to have a uniform colour tint, for example blue for underwater shots, or for creating a sepia look.

I want to start with the classic methods which we used just a couple of years ago then show the latest and most powerful way to create B&W images.

You can have a look at the individual Colour Channels by clicking on Red, Green and Blue in the Channels palette. We have done that with our underwater example.

Often a combination of two channels (usually the red and the green) will give you a better image. Go to Image > Calculations.

Here you can select two channels, decide on the blending mode and the opacity.

The example in Image 5 shows a scene from the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. Look at the different interpretations of yellow, blue and red in the two (extreme) B&W images. Image 6 simulates a blue filter. Note the light sky and how dark the top of the originally red boat comes out. Image 7 corresponds to a red filter in front of the lens, showing a dark sky and a light boat.

Image 5

An even better way is to use the Channel Mixer. Here you get full control over the mixing of all three colour channels.

However, over the last few years most image editing programs will give you a simple interface with sliders for the individual colours.

These allow you to control the lightness of every colour and on how they are going to be projected into the final greyscale image.

Mahé (Seychelles) in colour Image 6

B&W Image: simulating a blue filter

Image 7

Image 4 - The Latest B&W conversion in Photoshop CC Image 4 shows the Interface from Photoshop CC with its six colour sliders ranging from -200 to +300%.

Start with the Presets menu at the top. Here there are all the ordinary colour filters used in

B&W Image: simulating a red filter Some of the finest landscape photography has been done in B&W. I hope this short tutorial will encourage you to experiment on some of your shots.

www.divenewzealand.com 61

" Zebra Shark" Manta Bommie, Pacific Ocean, Gold Coast, Australia.

NIKON D700 15 mm F2.8 (f / 9; 1/125; ISO200) Ikelite housing, strobe DS160

The second installment of:

Underwater Photography: A Practical Guide for Beginners by Alexey Zaytsev Second edition translated from the Russian exclusively for Dive magazine.

Selecting a camera housing Alexey Zaytsev is well known amongst Russia’s dive and underwater photography community, and has undertaken professional photographic assignments in many places around the world, including many visits to Egypt, Sudan, Bali and elsewhere. To illustrate the book, and also his own credentials, Alexey is making available a selection of his fine photographic work.

Alexey lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

62 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

You have decided on a camera model and now here comes an important moment: selecting a waterproof armor for your camera, the camera housing.

The main purpose of any housing is to keep the water away from the camera while making it possible to manipulate it underwater. So what are the main housing selection criteria?

1) F irst, make sure that all the main camera controls are available on the housing. In addition to the lever which presses the

shutter speed button, it would be nice if the housing had buttons or levers that control its shooting modes (M, S, A, etc.), its exposure metering modes, auto focus modes, exposure correction, ISO settings, flash settings, white balance, file format, and image preview and delete buttons.

2) T he housing should have large and comfortable handles, which you can hold on to even if wearing thick gloves if diving in cold water.

3) T he viewfinder should be

"Shipwreck Gianis D" Reef Abu Nuhas, Red Sea, Egypt.

Nikon D700 15 mm F2.8 (f11; 1/125; ISO200) Ikelite housing, two strobe DS160 designed so you can easily see the whole frame wearing a mask.

4) A vailability of a range of ports to be used with different lenses with high quality optical surfaces, which can be easily mounted onto the housing and onto each other.

5) R eliable, and easily mounted arms (bars) for strobes.

6) An operating depth of at least 60 metres.

7) T he housing should be light and made out of corrosion resistant materials.

8) I t should be simple and easy to take care of, and maintain.

It so happens that housings for DSLRs are made only by independent manufacturers whereas companies such as Canon, Olympus and Sony make housings for some of their digital compact cameras. There are quite a few independent manufacturers and

"Lion Fish" Tulamben, Pacific Ocean, Bali Island, Indonesia. Nikon D700 105 mm F2.8 (f4; 1/125 s; ISO100) Ikelite housing, strobe DS160 flash and snoot

you can find a wealth of information about them on the web. So how do you choose from such a great variety?

Let's try and figure it out. With certain conditions, all housings can be divided into two families: plastic (mainly made out of polycarbonate, ABS plastic or carbon fibre) and metal (made out of light but durable aluminum alloys). Though you can find a combination of these materials in some housings where, for example, the front of the housing is metal while the back is ABS plastic, these can still be considered metal

Plastic housings Plastic housings have a number of undeniable advantages: 1) T hey are light.

2) Polycarbonate housings are clear, which makes it easier to manipulate and control the camera.

3) T hey do not corrode.

4) T hey are easily fabricated: the 'box' is the same for all camera models, with the only thing changing is the location of openings for buttons and connectors. Therefore, these housings are priced very humanely.

However, they have disadvantages too, although the list below may not apply to carbon fibre.

1) T hey are brittle: polycarbonate is afraid of shocks. It gets even worse in colder conditions‌ 2) The material accumulates internal tension and has a tendency to crack.

3) U ltra violet is harmful for polycarbonate.

www.divenewzealand.com 63

4) G oing deeper (even by a few metres) than the maximum allowable depth specified in the user manual may damage the housing.

"Soft corals" Elphinstone reef, Red Sea, Egypt.

NIKON D700 15 mm f / 2.8 (1/125 sec f / 11 ISO200) IKELITE housing, two strobe DS160

5) T he dimensions of such housings may not be very small.

To avoid extra cost from making a housing for every camera type, manufacturers use a ‘box’ designed to fit as many camera models of different sizes as possible.

With very good care and a non-extensive use, a plastic housing can serve you for years. Considering that today new camera models appear on the market faster than the equipment becomes obsolete, it would probably be more financially sensible for an amateur photographer to buy a polycarbonate housing, so if you decide to replace an old camera with a new one, you won’t lose much. You would be able to sell the old housing, keep all the ports, port extensions, strobes and strobe arms and spend less money by buying just the new 'box'.

The best polycarbonate housings, I think, are the ones manufactured

by Ikelite, an American underwater housing manufacturer.

This company has been making excellent housings, strobes and torches for almost half a century.

Its catalogue contains housings for both point-and-shoots and singlelens reflex cameras, and even for video cameras. (I used housings, strobes and accessories from this company with my Nikon D80, D300 and Nikon D700.)

A German based company, BS Kinetics, makes good housings from carbon fibre, with an operating depth of 80 metres!

Easy and very ergonomic housings with a very unusual design made out of ABS plastic of high quality are manufactured by the Japanese company Zillion.

Very comfortable and functional housings made of plastic, are manufactured by Olympus for its compact and mirrorless cameras.

Metal housings

If you chose an expensive professional DSLR, you should consider buying a metal housing. Such housings have a number of undeni64 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

able advantages over plastic. They are: •m echanically strong •h ave a large operating depth and a large margin of safety • small and ergonomic • durable Their only disadvantage is their high price. Metal housings have their Bentleys and Maybachs: the Austrian Seacam and Subal, while Belgium’s Hugyfot and Germany’s Sealux also make high quality housings.

There are metal housing manufacturers in the new world too, such as Canada’s Aquatica. Japan also makes excellent metal housings – Anthis manufactures light and compact housings under the Nexus trade mark, and a lot of divers are familiar with housings manufactured by Sea&Sea (Japan) and Inon from Japan makes several housing models for mirrorless cameras which are gaining popularity.

Hong Kong based Nauticam enjoys a well merited popularity with housings distinguished for their well thought through ergonomics, high quality and an abundance of original technical solutions. I often shoot with an Olympus mirrorless camera in a Nauticam housing

Next issue: The loss of light and colour underwater

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SPECIESFOCUS

Blue Moki ~Latridopsis ciliaris

By Paul Caiger

Blue moki are a species of trumpeter (Family Latridae) native to New Zealand and southeastern Australia.

Blue moki understandably get their name from their blue/grey colouration. A lack of lateral stripes distinguishes them from all the other trumpeters in New Zealand such as copper moki and trumpeter.

Despite the similar common names, blue moki is not actually closely related to the red moki, which is in the morwong family (Cheilodactylidae). They do share a similar body form and feeding ecology however. Blue moki eat just about anything, from crabs, bivalves and worms to small fish, predominantly feeding in the sand and mud, and suction feeding with their large mouth and fleshy lips.

In New Zealand they are largely a southern species, with a much higher abundance and schooling behaviour south of East Cape. But individuals, usually adults, are often found all the way north to the Three Kings Islands.

Many blue moki undertake quite large migrations to their spawning grounds near East Cape around

August each year. These are the only known spawning grounds; tagged individuals have travelled 500 km to reach this destination.

This mostly northern migration is from places like Bay of Plenty, Manawatu and Kaikoura and counteracts the southward drift of larvae. For this reason, juveniles less than 30 cm have not been recorded north of East Cape.

Juveniles mostly live inshore on the reefs, amongst the cover of macroalgae, shifting to more open areas away from the reef as they mature. Large adults can reach over 80 cm long, and the 40 cm minimum size limit for this fish is always a good indicator of what approximate size they need to grow to before reaching maturity.

~Latridopsis ciliaris means “bastard-like” or “slave-like” 1 Linatridopsis appearance.

2 Predominantly a southern species. ravel from afar to the only known spawning 3 Tgrounds off East Cape. uvenile less than 30 cm have not been found 4 Jnorth of East Cape.

66 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

5 Not closely related to red moki. lue moki eat just about anything, from crabs, 6 Bbivalves and worms, to small fish. commercially and recreationally fished 7 Aspecies.

8 Oldest known individual was 43 years old.

By region. To list your dive/sports stores contact Dive New Zealand for information.

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www.divenewzealand.com 67

DIVE STORES / TRAVEL / PRODUCTS / SERVICES COROMANDEL / BAY OF PLENTY Dive Zone Whitianga Only PADI 5 Star IDC facility on the Coromandel Peninsula. PADI courses from Open Water to Instructor. Dive trips from boat, shore and kayak, to many amazing dive sites. Full gear service and extensive retail store. Open 7 days.

10 Campbell Street, Whitianga, P: 07-867 1580, E: info@divethecoromandel.co.nz www.divezonewhitianga.co.nz (DNZ159)

• New BAUER compressors • Late model, low hours, preowned BAUER compressors • Service, spare parts, oil and consumables AVAILABLE NOW FROM APPROVED BAUER AGENTS

General Marine Services 65 & 90 Gaunt St, Westhaven, Auckland. Phone 09 309 6317 www.generalmarine.co.nz sales @ generalmarine.co.nz service @ generalmarine.co.nz

Cathedral Cove Dive & Snorkel Half day trips – everyday through the summer at 9.30am & 1.30pm. Marine reserve or outer reef diving for new and experienced divers. Full gear hire.

Individuals & groups welcome. Check out our website for a full list of dive sites and prices, or link onto our facebook page for an up-to-date weather/sea/dive report in the Hahei & Mercury Bay areas. 48 Hahei Beach Rd, Hahei Phone 0800 CCDIVE (0800 223 483) www.hahei.co.nz/diving

CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Dive & Gas Gisborne's authorised Aqualung dealer with full product range. A great range of other Scuba and Snorkel gear in-store as well. Plus we test and fill all Scuba Tanks. Kevin & Tracey Halverson, cnr Carnarvon St, and Childers Rd, Gisborne.

P: 06 867 9662 E: diveandgas@gmail.com (DNZ162) Dive Zone Tauranga is Tauranga’s only PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre offering everything from Open Water courses to Specialty Instructor training. Gear sales for all scuba, spearfishing & snorkelling needs.

Hire equipment, gear servicing, air fills, dive charters, cylinder testing and more! See us at 213 Cameron Road, Tauranga, P: (07) 578 4050, 0800 DIVE ZONE

E: info@diveshop.co.nz

www.scubadivingtauranga.co.nz

Island Bay Divers NZ’s Pro Gold Centre, Wellington’s oldest dive shop. Top brand retail, equipment hire, servicing all brands. Tanks tested within 24 hours.

CMAS, NAUI & PADI training. Club dives every Saturday. Corner Reef St & The Parade, Island Bay. Summer open 7 days 9am–6pm, winter closed Tues & Wed. P: 04-383 6778, E: tim@ibdivers.co.nz, www.ibdivers.co.nz (DNZ164)

SOUTH ISLAND Go Dive Marlborough Specialist TDI technical diver training facility. Mixed gas, decompression and advanced wreck courses. Operate Lermontov Lodge (Port Gore) our base to diving one of the world’s biggest wrecks the Mikhail Lermontov. Weekly tours ex Picton from 1–6 days. Direct flights from Wellington to Port Gore. We offer Inner Sounds Tours from Picton.

South Island’s only SSI Dive Centre. www.godive.co.nz Freephone 0800 GODIVE Email info@godive.co.nz (DNZ167) Dive & Ski HQ Wellington PADI dive courses – beginner to professional qualifications. Dive club with regular local, national & overseas trips.

Wide range of diving/ spearfishing equipment and accessories. Equipment servicing/tank testing. Open 7 days.

14 Waione St, Petone. New Zealand P: (04)568 5028 mob 0210369996 www.diveski.co.nz E: diveskihq@xtra.co.nz snow ski and board rental available www.facebook.com/DiveSkiHQ (DNZ161) Dive Kaikoura is the only dive shop on the North Canterbury East Coast. Located 180kms North of Christchurch off State Highway 1 in the beautiful South Island. Specialists in having Fun, Tours, Shore Dives, Spearfishing, Air Fills, Nitrox, PADI 5 Star Courses.

Servicing of all gear AND we’re a Cressi Premium Dealer! Dive Kaikoura 13 Yarmouth St, Kaikoura.

03 319 6622. www.divekaikoura.co.nz.

Open October to June.

(DNZ162)

Dive HQ Rotorua Start your diving adventure with this PADI 5 Star training centre, your leading BOP dive & kayak shop. Showcasing a great range of quality diving, spearfishing, kayaking & water sports equipment. Filling and testing of dive cylinders, servicing of regulators and BCD’s. An IANZ certified cylinder test centre. 290 Te Ngae Rd, next to Repco.

P: 07-345 3047 E: info@divehqrotorua.co.nz www.divehqrotorua.co.nz (DNZ159)

DNZ161

WELLINGTON / DISTRICTS Dive Wellington Become a Padi Dive Instructor with our fulltime Diploma course.

NZQA approved and eligible for student loans and allowances. Contact us for a course prospectus. Dive Wellington is an audited and approved sub contractor of Academy of Diving Trust E: dive@divewellington.co.nz P: 04 939 3483 www.divewellington.co.nz (DNZ163)

Dive Kapiti Your scuba, freediving & spearfishing specialists in the heart of the Kapiti coast. Quality servicing, airfills, dive training, Kapiti Island dive & spearfishing trips and retail sales. Full range of Cressi products, our friendly staff are always happy to help!

27 Milne Drive Paraparaumu 5032.

P: 04 297 0075 E: craig@divekapiti.co.nz www.divekapiti.co.nz (DNZ162)

68 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

dnz164

NZ Sea Adventures PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre – also TDI Technical diver training including CCR. Open 7 days. Dive courses – beginner to Instructor. Club dives and trips in NZ and overseas.

Dive retail, fills, gear hire & servicing.

9 Marina View, Mana, Porirua.

P: 04 233-8238 E: nzsa@scubadiving.co.nz www.scubadiving.co.nz (DNZ160)

More information on Dive Stores, Clubs & Travel at www.DiveNewZealand.com

Waikawa Dive Centre located at Waikawa Marina, Picton. Offering dive training and trips through the Marlborough Sounds. Fully-certified dive cylinder filling/testing, dive gear servicing/repairs, hire gear.

Carrying a multi-brand range of diving equipment.

Open 7 days during summer. Ready to take care of all your diving needs.

P: 03-573-5939, F: 03-573-8241 waikawadive@xtra.co.nz www.waikawadivecentre.co.nz www.facebook.com/WaikawaDiveCentre (DNZ166) Deep Blue Diving Making diving affordable for all divers. The Deep Blue brand is well known for its value for money and has a strong company reputation for delivering quality and excellent service. Visit our website or come in and see us for a huge range of dive gear, equipment servicing, tank filling, gear hire and Padi training.

15B Byron St, Sydenham, Christchurch 8025.

P: 03 332 0898 E: sales@deepbluediving.co.nz www.deepbluediving.co.nz (DNZ163)

Pro Dive Cairns Offers the highest quality, best value PADI dive courses and 3-day liveaboard Outer Great Barrier Reef dive trips in Cairns. We have 16 exclusive dive sites across 4 different reefs to choose from and departures 6 days/week.

Check out www.prodivecairns.com or call us on +617 4031 5255 or E: info@prodivecairns.com (DNZ161) Spirit of Freedom visits the remote dive destinations of Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs, and Coral Sea. The 37m vessel offers spacious en-suite cabins, every comfort on board, and exceptional service. Marine encounters include the potato cod feed, Minke whales in season, and the shark dive at Osprey Reef.

E: info@spiritoffreedom.com.au www.spiritoffreedom.com.au (DNZ164) Tusa Dive Cairns local day dive operators with over 30 years experience diving the Great Barrier Reef.

Tusa’s fast modern catamaran the Tusa 6 will visit two unique sites where you can enjoy up to three dives in the day. Tusa Dive also offer a great day out for snorkellers. P: 00617 4047 9100 E: info@tusadive.com www.tusadive.com (DNZ164)

dnz164

Fiordland Discovery Fiordland boasts some of New Zealand’s most spectacular diving, fishing and hunting.

We offer six-day, five-night private charters in the Fiords and the Tasman Sea. Be one of the first to discover Fiordland aboard our luxurious new cruise boat, the Fiordland Jewel. Multi-day cruises, private charters and individual bookings are available for diving, fishing & hunting. #Fiordlandjewel P: 0800 100 105 or +64 3 441 3322 E: hello@fiordlanddiscovery.co.nz www.fiordlanddiscovery.co.nz www.facebook.com/FiordlandDiscovery (DNZ160)

INTERNATIONAL DIVE OPERATORS AND RESORTS AUSTRALIA

DIVE COMPRESSOR

sales and servicing

HDS Australia-Pacific

High Pressure Equipment NZ Ltd

PO Box: 347 Dingley Village Victoria 3172, Australia. www.classicdiver.org

COOK ISLANDS Dive Aitutaki with Bubbles Below Explore Aitutaki’s underwater world with Bubbles Below. Only 40 minutes from mainland Rarotonga to the picturesque island of Aitutaki.PADI dive courses Beginner to Dive Master. Manned boats during dives! Safety and enjoyment paramount! ‘Take only Memories & Leave only Bubbles Dive Safe, Dive Rite, Dive Bubbles Below!’ www.diveaitutaki.com E: bubblesbelow@aitutaki.net.ck (DNZ164) The Dive Centre – The Big Fish PADI 5-star dive

operator. Services: intro/lagoon dives, dive trips twice a day, courses, retail and rental gear. 2 boats, boats are manned with an instructor, 7 days, night dives. Aroa Beach by the Rarotongan Resort.

P: 682 20238 or 682 55238 E: info@thedivecentre-rarotonga.com www.thedivecentre-rarotonga.com (DNZ159)

p h 0 9 -444

0804

Master Agents for Bauer Kompressoren in New Zealand and have been for the past 20 years.

• Servicing & repairs of all compressor brands: Bauer, Poseidon, Coltri, Bristol, Brownie. and most other brands.

• High pressure regulators.

• High pressure pumps.

• Compressor consumables and spare parts.

• Customised filling panels.

• Breathing air equipment.

New Zealand Master Agents for: BAUER KOMPRESSOREN compressors/spare parts BAUER-POSEIDON compressors and spare parts DNZ163

Dive HQ Christchurch 30 years industry experience, Christchurch’s only PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre and Adventure Activities Certified for SCUBA diving and snorkelling. Busy retail store selling the world’s leading brands and offering PADI recreational and tertiary SCUBA qualifications. Full range of spearfishing equipment including breath hold courses. Quality gear hire, service centre, Enriched Air training and filling station, local and international dive and spearfishing trips.103 Durham St Sth. Sydenham, Christchurch.

Freephone 0800-DIVEHQ. P: (03)379- 5804 www.diveskiworld.co.nz E: sales@diveskiworld.co.nz (DNZ162)

Contact us at: ph 09 444 0804, fax 09 443 1121

32 Parkway Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland.

Email info@highpressure.co.nz

www.highpressure.co.nz

www.divenewzealand.com 69

recompression facilities.

DIVE STORES / TRAVEL / PRODUCTS / SERVICES

FIJI

VANUATU

Subsurface Fiji Visit Fiji for fun, relaxing tropical diving. Subsurface Fiji PADI 5-Star Dive shops are located in the beautiful Mamanuca Islands, offering daily trips and courses to some of the best dive spots in Fiji. Subsurface provides full diving services from Musket Cove, Plantation, Malolo, Likuliku, Tropica, Lomani, Funky Fish, Namotu, Tavarua, Wadigi & Navini Island Resorts.

E: info@subsurfacefiji.com www.subsurfacefiji.com (DNZ159)

Nautilus Watersports Vanuatu’s longest running dive operation in Port Vila with 30+ years’ experience.

Nautilus offers 4 dives a day (double dive both morning and afternoon). We also offer PADI course from Discover Scuba right through to Dive Master. For dive groups we can also offer diving/accommodation packages. P: Peter or Leanne +678 22 398 www.nautilus.com.vu E: nautilus@vanuatu.com.vu (DNZ160)

Mantaray Island Resort Yasawa Islands – Fiji – Over 40 dive sites ; vibrant reefs, stunning coral gardens, caves, swim throughs, wall dives, drop offs, shark dives, turtles, and a stunning house reef. Fiji’s only accredited free-diving school, Mantaray swimming May–Oct. Small group diving in a safe and enjoyable environment visit us at www.mantarayisland.com (DNZ164) Volivoli Beach Resort offers you relaxed, unspoilt white sandy beaches in a spectacular part of Fiji. Ra Divers operates from the resort giving you a water wonderland on the worlds best soft coral dive sites.

The Fiji Siren is a livaboard boat offering you 7 and 10 night dive packages. www.volivoli.com E: info@volivoli.com P: +679 9920942 (DNZ160)

SOLOMONS Raiders Hotel and Dive Wreck and Reef diving, Accommodation, Bar and dining, Snorkelling Hiking and more. Located 1 hour from Honiara on the waterfront of the historic Tulagi harbour. Dive Discover – Relax. www.raidershotel.com email raidershotel@solomon.com.sb ph +677 7594185 / 7938017 (DNZ162) SIDE Dive Munda – Dive the unexplored Experience Magical Munda at Agnes Gateway Hotel.

Award winning service and pristine diving. SSI Instructor Training Centre. WWII wrecks, caves and reefs – untouched and unspoilt. www.divemunda.com divemunda@dive-solomon.com Find us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram (DNZ162) SIDE TAKA Dive See more of the Solomon Islands by liveaboard! Save $700 on a 7 night booking on board MV Taka: 7 Nights Accommodation; 3 gourmet meals daily; 24 Dives – sharks, WWII wrecks, manta rays, night dives; Round trip airport transfers. Conditions apply. For more information or to make a reservations: book@dive-solomon.com (DNZ162) Tulagi Dive Solomon Islands An underwater paradise for marine life and explore the many ships and aircraft wrecks at the famous Iron Bottom Sound. We offer the PADI and TDI courses. Phone (+677) 25700 www.tulagidive.com dive@tulagidive.com (DNZ162)

THIS SPACE

COULD BE YOURS

DIVE HOLIDAY Travelandco At travel&co (previously Dive Fish Snow Holidays) we’ve been crafting tailor-made active travel trips and experiences for over 30 years.

Our team of active travel experts share your passion for adventure and can help book an exceptional active travel experience that goes beyond the ordinary. From wreck or reef diving, learning to dive, to liveaboard adventures - for insider tips on the best dive locations and tailormade diving experiences let your active travel journey start with us. t: 09 479 2210 Toll free NZ: 0800 555 035 e: enquire@travelandco.nz www.travelandco.nz/dive (DNZ163)

TRIPS/CHARTERS CRUISE FIORDLAND fish

•

hunt

•

dive

•

cruise

Fish, Hunt, Dive or Cruise aboard the fully refurbished MV Cindy Hardy. Fiordland or Stewart Island, our scenic cruises will provide you with a once in a lifetime experience.

Everything is provided regardless of how short or long your time on board with us is.

Cruise options available on our website. www.cruisefiordland.com info@cruisefiordland.com +6421 088 14530

(DNZ156)

Outer Gulf Charters One hour north of Auckland CBD Providing divers with the ultimate diving day out with diver lift, fast/comfortable travel, hot water shower, and all the tea and coffee you want.

Recommended Dive Sites: Goat Island Marine Reserve, Mokohinau Islands, Great/Little Barrier, Sail Rock/Hen & Chickens in style. Trip schedule and info www.outergulfcharters.co.nz or phone Julie 021 827 855

PLACE AN AD WITH US

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

70 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Very friendly, professional & experienced local Instructors & Dive Masters.

Ve

20 dive sites (10 to 20 minutes) including 5 wrecks (including 4 engine QANTAS Sandringham flying boat and 150 year old sailing ship Star of Russia)

20 d (inc boa

Temp 24-28°c. Viz 10m to 40m. Free pickup from Resorts in town.

P: +678 27518 or email: dive@bigbluevanuatu.com www.bigbluevanuatu.com For your safety Vanuatu has recompression facilities.

SPEAKERS/LECTURERS Available for talks to dive clubs etc. You can find full details on these speakers/lectures at www.DiveNewZealand.co.nz/dive-in-nz/dive-shops/ Terry Brailsford Wreck diving for gold & treasure. Incl the Rothschild jewellery, search for General Grant.

0274 958816, theadmiral@xtra.co.nz

Dr Roger Grace ‘Why do we need no-take zones?’; ‘20 years as a Greenpeace photographer’.

021 126 5292, gracer@xtra.co.nz Darren Shields Spearfishing titles,uw cameraman, author. Motivating/compelling/innovative/inspiring/ entertaining P: 09-4794231, 021839118, darren@wettie.co.nz Jamie Obern Technical instructor/cave diver, 20+ years exp. globally. Photos/video: uw caves in Mexico, USA, UK, NZ, Australia. Techdive NZ/GUE NZ instructor. P: 021 614 023, www.techdivenz.com jamie@techdivenz.com Dave Moran Ching Dynasty porcelain from the Tek Sing. P: Dive New Zealand 09-521 0684, E: divenz@DiveNewZealand.co.nz Samara Nicholas M.O.N.Z -Programme Director: Experiencing Marine Reserves – Te Kura Moana: samara@emr.org.nz www.emr.org.nz www.facebook.com/emr.mtsct P: 09 4338205 or 0210362019 (field only)

colin@affinityads.com

17 39 41 11 53 & 55 33 51

•C Inst

Tony Howell History and entertainment with lots of rare historical photos and illustrations – 12 powerpoints in total. 45 mins –1 hr each.

Contact me for topics. 04 233-8238, www.scubadiving.co.nz tony@scubadiving.co.nz

Enquiries to: Colin Gestro Affinity Ads M: 027 256 8014

Air Vanuatu Airtec Atlantis Hotel Big Blue Vanuatu DAN Dive Zone FantaSea

On the seafront downtown Port Vila.

• Certified dives • Snorkel Tours • Training to Instructor Level • Full gear hire available •

General Marine Services 49 Nauticam 48 Outdoor Sports 47 PADI 35 PSL Fire & Safety Nanuk 9&50 SeaTech 65 SIDE Dive Munda 12

Subscription IFC & 71 Toi-Ohomai 25 Uprising Beach Resort 19 Wakatobi 1 Yamaha OBC

ALPHABETICAL ORDER

Captain Cook Cruises Reef Endeavour and Tivua Island are 5 star PADI operations – Discover Scuba – Scuba Dive – Open water dive – Advance Wreck Dive, MV Raiyawa at Tivua Island. Fiji P: +679 6701 823 E: fiji@captaincookcruisesfiji.com www.captaincookcruisesfiji.com (DNZ160)

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! • Dive Features • News • Reviews • Dive Destinations • Products Our regular Shades of Colour photo competition brings to life the wonders of the deep.

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inc GST ISSUE 161 - $9.90 2018 December / January

D’S LAN ZEA

ISSUE 160 - $9.90 October / Novemberinc GST 2017

inc GST - $9.90 ISSUE 162 / March 2018 February

NEW

The sex life of sharks: What do we know?

e ater fin Underw shion fa art and pher photogra no Ca Jose G.

The technicolour

Giant Cuttlefish

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Cousteau on accelerating climate change • Our photo compet

Covers 160.indd

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Taking a risk on Guam

ition gallery • Wildlif

US Battle of the Atlantic revisited e Photographer of

Festival: Solomons Dive Borneo: Poor Knights: What lies Rich days of beneath? wonder

c.com www.Dive-Pacifi

usteau ichel Co Jean-M rt from s far est repo Australia’ s The lat ishing north Sea Turtle NZ Spearf s around New Championship Diving the nds Zealand Isla Chatham

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photo gallery Extraordinary New Year, Diving the web: New career? your regular guide PM 20/11/17 8:51

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Subscribers will also receive our newsletter keeping you up to date with diving news from home and around the world.

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YOUR DETAILS: Start with [ ] Current issue or [ ] Next issue This subscription is: [ ] New or a [ ] Renewal Name ____________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Post code __________ Daytime ph/mobile _________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________ I would like to give a gift subscription to: Name ____________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Daytime ph/mobile _________________________________________________ Message on gift card ________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Send to: Freepost Dive NZ, Dive New Zealand, PO Box 34 687, Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand 0746. Ph 64 (0)27 4949 629 Email divenz@DiveNewZealand.co.nz or subscribe on line at www.DiveNewZealand.com or contact us for direct credit bank account details.

PLEASE TICK YOUR REQUIRED SUBSCRIPTION (NZ$) Destination (air) 1 Year (6 issues) 2 years (12 issues) New Zealand $57.00 $103.00 Australia $97.50 $185.00 South Pacific $117.00 $222.00 Asia $127.00 $241.00 UK, North America, Europe $133.50 $253.60 Rest of World $137.50 $270.00

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Phil Bendle: Dive charter boat skipper extraordinaire 9th Dec 1936 – 8th Aug 2018 Reflection by Dave Moran, Editor @ Large

A

s many of you may know, Dive columnist Phil Bendle passed away on August 8th. Phil was a contributor to Dive for many years with his very informative column Diving the Web. Readers loved it, and Phil always submitted his material in a very professional manner.

Phil was a diver from the beginning. He started taking other divers to the Poor Knights in the early 1980s after many years going there, and he was the best skipper to be with. He knew the underwater landscape like the back of his hand. Divers loved him and his faithful mate, MV Norseman. PLUS his dry sense of humour!

Phil also had a passion for photographing flora and fauna and the little critters who lived underwater as evidenced by his contributions to the TERRAIN website (Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network). Many books showcase his work. A very talented man.

He will be sorely missed on many levels.

Rarely in life do you have the

pleasure of being in the presence of such a humble human being who let his work and actions do the talking.

Faye, his beautiful wife, still laughs at what her man got up to. Their children, Tracey and Philip I’m sure will think, “Wow, he sure was a great dad!” What a life!

Tribute to Phil Bendle by Wade Doak

Phil Bendle: Diver, skipper, nature lover and practical joker supreme Phil pushed out in so many directions, under the sea and on the land and on a personal level. His sense of humour leaves us all with memories of the favourite practical jokes he perpetrated, followed by those wicked chuckles. He developed the natural history website TERRAIN, a precious heritage for all. His painstaking natural history photos offer us a standard for achievement.

As David Bellamy I will always recall diving with Phil in disguise as Prof David Bellamy for the doco series 'Moa's Ark' when the famous BBC presenter had to leave mid-shoot at the Poor Knights. Phil loved things like that!

Photo: Graeme Ransley

Following the legendary pioneer dive skipper Fred Cotterill (before Fred no charter boats at Toots would take out scuba divers!), Phil on Norseman was one of those special owner/operator dive boat skippers who made every client his friend. His quick thinking administering oxygen saved the life of my dear old Ngunguru mate Mal Pitt on a fishing trip when Mal had a brain aneurism. Phil was a trained chemist.

If Phil really believed anything was truly worthwhile, his serious, unstinting, high energy side became manifest. When a person is larger than life, as was Phil on so many parameters, we all have wonderful memories of him to share.

Phil was a huge help to me setting up my Poor Knights website with hours of painstaking work.

He helped so many people with his great range of skills. With her gentle smiles his sweet wife Faye always provided a perfect counterpoint to Phil's outrageous pranks.

(Photo and news clip from Wade Doak’s Dive magazine July 1969.

Vol 9 no 1. )

72 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Phil Bendle is 7th from the left with the Nikonos amphibious camera around his neck. Above him is Vern Hoggard. To Phil’s left is Peter Rippon then me and Robbie Galvin. On the extreme left are Kelly Tarlton and Peter Asher.

FIJI RESORT FOR SALE

17.6 hectares nestled in the protected western side of Koro Island in Fiji.

Koro Beach Resort has a tourism lease on 5.2679ha and was previously used as a clubhouse.

There is an adjacent 12.3321ha subdivision of 25 residential lots with individual residential leases.

• Valid hotel license • 7 Eco friendly villas • Well equipped kitchen, toilet/shower block for campers • Potential for fishing, diving and retreat style activities • The entire Resort is powered by solar energy with 3G Digicel network coverage over the subdivision

• Includes 24 residential lots minimum of half an acre each

All residential lots have sea views and are in walking distance of 1km of pristine white sandy beach

Price $2.5M FJD / $1.6M AUD/ $1.76M NZD / $1.04M €

99 year tourism lease from 10/09/14

julian@fijirealestate.com or edwardfijirealtor@gmail.com Phone 00 679 9245 074

www.divenewzealand.com 73

/YamahaMarineNZ yamaha-motor.co.nz

74 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

*Promotion available between 09/07/18 to 30/09/18 on new and eligible Yamaha F75 to F150 four-stroke models, purchased at participating authorised Yamaha dealerships. Advertised savings amount equivalent to a total of $2,000 (GST inclusive), toward the cost of rigging for Yamaha F75 to F150 models. Savings are based on RRP and subject to change without notice. Offer available for private buyers only, on specified models purchased during the promotional period. Installation and warranty registration must be completed by 31/12/18. Promotion is not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Terms and conditions apply. See your authorised participating dealership for details.