Scubashooters net e mag issue n23 jan 2017

ISSUE

N°23

J A N 2017

special issue judges & prizes

PORTFOLIO Kate Jonker

MALAYSIA: MABUL AND SIPADAN

By S. Riccardo THE NEW FIX NEO 1500 DX SWR II

By M. Di Francesco

UNDERWATER HUNTERS

By D. Lombroso

HOUSING PREVIEW Nauticam presents NA-1DX MKII

THE CLOWNFISH

By A. Giannaccini and F. Reinero

DEEP VISIONS Categories, prizes and judges

Dear Scubashooters, 2017 has just begun and we already have a lot of new stuffs lined up ready to be implemented this year.

Since we started our “green” project, Scubashooters Blueline, dedicated to Ocean conservation and protection we received a lot of positive feedbacks indicating that this is a good endeavor: our flagship website Scubashooters.net will soon receive an appropriate section to host the project. And , I know i’m repeating myself, we already feature a great partnership with Mission-blue.org, which is the organization set up by Dr Sylvia Earle. The aim of Dr Earle is to be able to protect 20% of all the oceans by year 2020. In order to achieve this goal Mission Blue and Dr Earle created the so called Hope spots, particularly protected areas of the Ocean which can ignite hope inside people to see a better future for our Mother Earth. This is a great endorsement for Scubashooters.net amd the recognition that we are doing our little part . But stay tuned , there’s more to come. Our Contest Deep Visions 2016 is coming to an end, so please do not delay your entries and get the chance to win one of our amazing prizes kindly sponsored by our partners worldwide.

We are committed to bring you the best photos, the best opportunities and the best visibility so keep on following us. Thank you!

Marino Palla Owner and Founder Scubashooters Network

Cover image “” By: Kate Jonker

C O N T E N T S 3

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EDITORIAL

by Marino Palla

MALAYSIA: Mabul and Sipadan

by Ilaria Casciere & Sergio Riccardo

PORTFOLIO Kate Jonker

NEW FIX NEO 1500 DX SWR II: The final focus light

by Marcello Di Francesco

UNDERWATER HUNTERS

by Davide Lombroso

THE CLOWNFISH

by Francesca Romana Reinero & Alessandro Giannaccini

INTRODUCING NA-1DX MKII

STICK TO YOUR MAXIMUM OPERATING DETPH DAN Europe

Editor: FABIO STRAZZI Verein Scubashooters, 8952 Schlieren - Switzerland

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We listen to you!

Deepvisions 2016 deadline moved forward to the

28th of February 2017!

New sponsor enters the pane with a great prize:

Bluewater of California

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MALAYSIA: MABUL AND SIPADAN Words

Ilaria Casciere Pictures

Sergio Riccardo

TRAVELS

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The journey from Italy is quite long and exhausting: two stopovers up to Kuala Lumpur, a domestic flight to Tawau in Borneo, an hour by van to climb up the Sabah region to the port of Semporna where, awaiting for us, there’s a fast boat that after 45 minutes sailing leads us to our coveted goal. Mabul, a pulau, which in the local language means “island”, of a few hectares of fine white coral sand located in the Celebes Sea, about 25 miles away from the north-east coast of Malaysian Borneo. The spirits of the group is high, even if, during the journey, we notice the negative effects on the natural environment originated by greed and lack of foresight of man, who is deforesting large areas of Borneo to replace one of the oldest rain forests of Asia with endless oil palm plantations. We find accommodation in one of the island resort, the Smart Resort, a delightful village of wooden bungalows, simple but clean, surrounded by lush vegetation of palm trees, tropical plants and flowers. The common areas, which are also immersed in a beautiful green frame right in front of the beach, are spacious and well equipped and will allow us to carry out, at the end of the day, comfortable debriefing to exchange impressions on underwater encounters and technical advice on equipment and photographs. A little farther on, on a small and creaky wooden jetty alternate from sunrise to sunset, with a firm and heavy step, men, locals and tourists, and carts full with tanks and equipment. The Malaysians are living with their families in a small village located a few steps from the resort, in small and modest houses built of wood and palm leaves. Among the narrow streets, some children, dirty and barefoot, play soccer in a makeshift playground. A woman cradle her baby, while two little girls, with an intense gaze and a wild beauty, play with a small glass bottle under the warm light of sunset,

hidden among the stilts under the houses. Women, their head covered, shrink back behind tiny stalls on which they are exposing for sale the most varied merchandise, fruit and dried fish, but also shells and whole shark jaws: witness of the massacre of protected species continuing relentlessly here as in any other part of the world. On the small beach of the village, between rickety wooden piers and stilts, some men are busy fixing small wooden boats, colorful and smelling of diesel fuel, after another hard day of fishing. Life unfolds in a simple way, marked by the rhythms of nature, in this pearl set in one of the seas with the highest biodiversity in the world, and the group’s expectations are high.

We expect effecting 3 to 4 dives a day in the warm waters around the islands of Mabul, Kapalai (a strip of emerging sand surrounded by an emerald lagoon bordered by a large coral reef), and, last but not least, Sipadan, located half an hour navigation from Mabul, declared marine protected area by the WWF in 1963 and where facilities have been completely dismantled in 2004. Sipadan is an underwater paradise of coral and undisputed dominion for turtles and other pelagic species, but also sanctuary for many species of birds, from kingfisher to the frigate birds, and for terrestrial species, including monitor lizards. The day after our arrival, local guides, expert and helpful, are waiting for us at the Diving Center, where we prepare our diving equipment and cameras to go finally out to sea. Despite the visibility is never outstanding in these waters, due to the extraordinary wealth of plankton and a constant current more or less moderate, from the first dive the seabed appear teeming with life and perfect habitat for many endemic species, to the joy and the delight of macro-photography enthusiasts. In Mabul, diving takes place along the reef surrounding the is-

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land to a limited depth, within 25/27 meters. Among sand and corals, we spot colorful nudibranchs, ghost shrimps and other tiny crustaceans, ghost pipefishes, blennies, scorpion fishes and lionfishes, trumpet fishes, frogfishes and crocodile fishes. Among the various dive sites in Mabul, “Eel Garden” deserves special mention: typical muck-dive whose bottom slopes gently to a plateau of sand and mud teeming with life and where, between organ-pipe sponges of a delicate violet shade, camouflages the beautiful, prehistoric-looking giant frogfish. Also “Platform”, a small oil platform now used as a resort for scuba divers equipped with a strong spirit of adventure: angelfish, surgeonfish, huge group-

ers and batfish are hovering quietly between the pillars and structures lying on the sandy bottom of about 18 meters, which is completely colonized by colorful crinoids, tunicates and sponges of all kinds and sizes, including large elephant ear sponges. In Kapalai, we made beautiful dives at Mandarin Valley where, from the sand at a depth of about 20 meters, leap out timidly tiny jaw fishes, among which we distinguish some with eggs in their mouths. Amongst the remains of obsolete structures already used by man for fishing and now home to tunicates, sponges and colorful crinoids, swim large groupers, snappers and a multitude of other reef fish. A little further on, where the seabed slopes gently, with a bit of luck but, above all, with the watchful eye and expert assistance of the local guides, you can see different specimen of mandarin fish peeping out of the corals, to then suddenly retreating to a minimum displacement of water produced by divers who attempt ambushes to immortalize them in a shot. This tiny tropical fish, beautiful by name and in fact, very shy and difficult to photograph, is in fact delight and torment of underwater macro photography enthusiasts, providing always exciting challenges. The dives are continuing at a brisk pace and enthusiasm of the group reaches sidereal levels, due to the most evocative sightings in the waters of Sipadan. The reef around the island, which slopes toward the abyss with vertical walls alternating with small plateau, is rich in benthic fauna: from extensive colonies of corals and soft corals to large branches sea fans, from barrel sponges to colorful anemones where inhabit different species of clownfish, and a huge variety of fish and organisms of every shape, color and size. Worth mentioning the dive site called Coral Gardens, beautiful garden of extensive colonies of stony and soft corals, among which wander some solitary specimen of barracuda, along with several angelfish, surgeonfish and large schools of funny bumper-head fish, by the frontal “bump� eroded by the blows

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20 inflicted to the corals to break them and eat the polyps. Another spectacular site is South Point, located at the extreme southern tip of the reef surrounding the island, where the most exciting encounter is definitely the one with immense schools of hundreds of jacks that, moving en-masse, create tunnels and carousels around the scuba divers, even at a few meters deep, with lights and reflections in contrast with the blue sea. However, the queens of Sipadan seabed even today, despite their presence has fallen sharply in recent years, are the turtles: at the site called Hanging Garden, the most beautiful and memorable, we met many juveniles and elders sleeping in their dens and on the balconies located on the walls, or swimming quietly, melting amid huge schools of batfish and silver trevally that open and close around divers who, stunned by the contrast of reflections and colors created by sudden movements of the schools, still try to immortalize in a shot the powerful and formidable spectacle of life they are lucky enough to attend. When it’s time to leave to go back home our hearts are full of sadness, but the extraordinary emotions and images that these islands have been able to give us, remain with us and allow us to keep dreaming, at least until we can return to visit these remote and fascinating lands, evoking tales of pirates and adventures from Salgari stories.

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Kate Jonker

PORTFOLIO

PORTFOLIO

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Kate Jonker is a South African underwater photographer who lives in the seaside town of Gordon’s Bay, just outside Cape Town, South Africa.

Growing up in South Africa, Kate spent much of her childhood surfing and snorkelling but it was only in 2000 that she took up scuba diving. This is how she met her husband Deon, who owns and runs Indigo Scuba Diving Centre in Gordon’s Bay (www.indigoscuba.com).

Kate first started taking underwater photographs in 2010 to promote the unique and beautiful marine life in Gordon’s Bay; and progressed to a DSLR in 2012. Today, she shoots with a Canon 7D Mark ii with her favourite Canon 60mm and 100mm macro lenses.

She is passionate about macro photography and loves using a snoot to bring out the amazing textures and colours of the smaller creatures in the ocean.

She also enjoys trying to capture the individual personalities of fish in her images.

“Photography is a fantastic medium in which to create an awareness of the beauty - and plight - of our oceans.” says Kate. “Images can stir many emotions and we, as underwater photographers, have the opportunity to tell visual stories about our underwater world and to encourage its protection and preservation.”

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Although employed full-time in the South African wine industry, Kate is also an assistant instructor, dive boat skipper and teaches underwater photography classes for Indigo Scuba. She spends most of her photography hours exploring the marine diverse waters of False Bay; as well as Sodwana Bay, Mozambique and the Red Sea. Keen create an awareness of the beauty of our oceans, Kate has created a website: Ocean Images www.oceanimages.co.za.

Her images can also be found on Instagram @OceanImagesSA.

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Puerto Galera - Oriental Mindoro - Philippines

Share your passion for diving wishlist exploring the magical underwater world of Puerto Galera.

This fabulous destination offers the perfect mix of diving and culture, hiding surprises for even the most expert of divers in its unique biodiversity and colourful marine creatures.

An ideal destination for macro photographers.

www.fishermenscove.com

.

+63 917 533 2985

.

info@fishermenscove.com

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NEW FIX NEO 1500 DX SWR II: The final focus light Words and Pictures

Marcello Di Francesco The Japanese Fisheye has recently updated its Focus Light 1500DX, an illuminator that already made use of the latest available technologies for this type of equipment but that, today, the company has managed to improve by placing a series of “features” that we could hardly manage to find in other flashlights around. If we wish to have into a single object a wide light, a spot light, a red light, the possibility of fine power tuning, two charging options, LCD display with charge’s remaining time and maximum quality of light, this is definitely the best solution we can find on the market.

PREVIEW Technical specifications: Maximum power 1500 lumens Wide light 100 ° (up to 1500 lumens) Red Light 100 ° (up to 250 lumens) Spot Light 30 ° (up to 500 lumens) Color temperature 6000K Digital display showing the power and battery life level Ability to control the power of light from 0 to 100% in increments of 1% or 25%.

Two charging options - directly to the battery or from inside the case with external connector Autonomy to the maximum power: 120 min (Spot), 90 min (Wide) Charging time 2 hours Maximum operating depth 100 meters Possibility to control remotely through the Fix Neo remote Technology, safety and a LED display with more information: The new model has now a revised LED display providing simultaneously more information about the light mode used and the remaining charging time. The ultra-modern LCD panel is now able to communicate in real time the battery charge status, the remaining charge minutes, and the light’s output power in the different modes. During the dive, just a glance and you have immediately access to all necessary information. A microprocessor controls the flashlight Fix Neo 1500 DX II SWR, allowing maintaining constant the flow of light for the whole battery charge cycle. Thanks to this technology, the flashlight is always monitored from the point of view of heat in its internal components, allowing its use even outdoor (out of the water). It will be the processor to make sure that overheating does not happen, auto-adjusting the power or directly turning off the flashlight (very interesting function, which gives us a lot of confidence in case we forgot the light switched on inside our scuba gear bag).

58 1500 lumen, Wide, Spot and red light: Maximum versatility with a maximum power output of 1500 lumens: Basically, everything it takes to perform as a focus light, but also the right power for video shooting in medium shots, close-ups and macro. The light beam is easily adjustable and covers all the needs the dive may require. The wider field angle is a true 100 °, able to cover a very wide portion of the frame and can serve either as a support to our camera’s autofocus or as real video light. The spot mode reduces the angle to 30 ° so as to concentrate the light on a single subject and do not illuminate all the rest of the background, but especially useful for using as a true and proper flashlight. Finally, the red light function that, during night dives, will give us the opportunity to not frighten the marine life more susceptible to light, and still have the right amount of lighting available to allow autofocus a proper working. The Fix Neo 150 SWR’s color quality is very high and able to offer very bright colors. The light temperature is around 6000 ° Kelvin and can reproduce very natural colors even at depth. A very useful and interesting characteristic of all Neo Fix torches is the interchangeability of the lighting heads. We will be able to have different sources of light, according to our operational needs, without having necessarily to buy a complete set. The body, once connected to the new head, will be reprogrammed with a simple key combinations and could provide the durability and power data correctly and updated.

Controls and power settings: Changing the light mode and the power level is quite easy and fast. All the Fix flashlights have three buttons that let easy access to all available operating functions. The buttons are well spaced, so to avoid accidental or mistaken pressing,

and are very simple to handle even wearing thicker gloves. There is also a physical block preventing accidental activation when stowed in our luggage or scuba gear duffel bag: safety always first!

Just press the primary control button to switch on the device and to allow four power adjustments, in increments of 25%. Through the upper buttons, you can perform an even more precise fine-tuning in 1% increments. Everything is really easy to operate and very, very fast to perform. To change the light beam and then switch from Spot to Wide mode and vice versa, you must press and hold the round button a little more than a second. Switching to the red light function is a little more challenging: in fact, you have to hold the round button together with an arrow key, requiring therefore two hands.

Here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOXaosVgsO8&feature=youtu.be a video showing the different functions

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Batteries and Charging: Definitely one of the features I most appreciated about Fix torches is the management of charging.

The Fix Neo SWR 1500 is powered by a lithium battery and can be recharged according to our needs in two different ways: 1. By directly connecting the power supply to the torch through the provided charging connector, thus avoiding unscrew the head to remove the battery, 2. Recharging the battery in the classical way, which allows us to keep always a spare battery under charge while we use the flashlight during diving, and always have light even throughout long full day sessions in the boat, where it is not always possible to recharge our batteries.

In case you use this flashlight as a true focus light, consider that you will never go beyond 25/50% power, which means an extremely long duration, frequently over 3 hours of battery life.

Accessories: The provision of adapters, attacks and handles that Fix torches provide as standard is definitely complete. The package contents is indeed exhaustive and covers most of the uses

Package contents: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 x FIX Neo 1500 SWR 1 x 2-Way Handle 1 x YS adapter 1 x Ultra adapter 1 x GoPro adapter 1 x Loc-Line adapter 1 x Lithium battery 1 x Charger 1 x charging socket 1 x Cap charging connector 1 x wrist strap 1 x spare O-ring 1 x O-ring grease 1 x O-ring Remover 1 x Allen key 1 x screw lock

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In the Mediterranean, on deep wrecks and shoals, visibility and light can be scarce. Here, the focus light can be of great support for our autofocus precision.

Usage in the field: I waited some months before writing a review about Fix Neo DX 1500 SWR: I preferred to use it intensively in all the different types of dives I usually make, so to have a complete picture of all its peculiarities, strengths and weaknesses.

I can definitely say, without half measures, this is a top quality product. Certainly, the more complete and versatile focus light I have used to date. In these months of work, I used it around in the Mediterranean and in tropical seas for macro shooting, in very low visibility conditions in the Adriatic Sea during muck dives, at night dives both for macro and close focus wide angle, in caves, deep diving, wreck diving and in shallow waters on coral reefs. Well, the Fix Neo DX 1500 SWR has always behaved very well by providing me all the light I needed.

High reliability, long autonomy and versatility: in short, you cannot ask for more from a focus light.

The cost is â‚Ź 550, 00 and it is sold, in Italy, by www.fotosub-shop.it

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Giosim, although being a newborn in the world of Underwater housings already distinguish itself for the hi specifications and standards of its production.

Here’s some information about the Canon 1200d Underwater Housing; it has been tested down to 100mt (330 ft ).

All controls feature a double ring for maximum safety against flooding, interchangeable ports fit onto the housing thanks to an aluminum ring to maximize security and rigidity Two optical fiber sockets allow use of a wide variety of strobes.

The overall construction quality and materials have been developed for reliability and maximum performance We can build the housing customizing it to your preferred color We studied the housing so to offer maximum ergonomics for both controls and handles, everything is within the reach of your fingers and you can change the camera settings while composing the image through the viewfinder.

Three stainless steel hooks grant for maximum safety when we come to close our camera inside the housing. Different ports are available: aluminum macro port with different rings to fit all macro lenses available on the market and crystal dome for wideangle lenses. We can custom build your port to fit all your needs Every housing is fitted with humidity sensor and alarm for early flooding detection. web site: www.gio-sim.com

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UNDERWATER HUNTERS Words and Pictures

Davide Lombroso

MARINE BIOLOGY

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Although I’m now diving assiduously for over 30 years with my trusty camera, meet and take pictures of fishes in their natural environment always excites me!

The “Underwater Photo Safari” (SFS), an integral part of FIPSAS as a sport, has as its ultimate goal to capture the largest number of different kind of fishes, with the aid of the camera.

You can be sure that the difficulty and fun are equal to the use of an underwater gun!

Like any sport, there are rules and criteria to be met, as the national federal regulation.

Divided into four categories with or without the use of air, compact cameras or SLR, the athletes of all age, compete for 4 hours scouring the competition area delimited and forbidden to navigation for safety, looking at how many more different fishes.

Knowledge of the types of seabed and life characteristics of the fish, is a fun-

damental part to be able to increase their game bag and we must consider that the best athletes arrive to capture between 40 and 50 species of fish.

As per the Regulation, the fishes are divided into three categories, easy, medium and hard, which corresponds to a degree of difficulty, 2-4-6, which is multiplied by the total number of votes (1 to 10) of three judges.

Criteria of validity of the images are inherited from the underwater photography, proper focus, correct exposure, species identification, fishes taken in their habitat without constraints.

Being in extemporaneous races without the possibility of post-production and with a clear and simple regulation which minimizes the doubts of the evaluations, our races are characterized by a sports-friendly climate where harmony reigns with the right pepper to competition for the final victory.

The SFS underwater photography has

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been held for several years, just think that this year was held on the 36th in the waters of Bonassola, pearl of 5 Terre Ligurian, which was attended by the 40 best athletes from all over Italy, qualified through competitions selective taking place throughout the country.

Thanks to the SFS there is a constant monitoring of the seabed, the state of conservation of the flora and fauna of the underwater habits, giving the opportunity to those who dive to expand every time their culture. Back on the same field competition each year during selective in preparation for the Italian Championships, causes different emotions and allows us to verify the changes over the years. I recommend and invite everyone to participate assiduously to our

races, will positively impressed by how many species of fishes you may know more than the “normal diver”. The only livery difference between male and female of the same nature is only the first step towards the identification and understanding of the fishes. On the various “hunting techniques”, the identification of types of seabed, marine habitat and habits of the fishes, I will return in a future article, as well as on reports of the upcoming selective for the Italian Championships 2017 to be held in Crotone in the Marine Protected Area Isola Capo Rizzuto.

Official web site portale.fipsas.it/Sezioni/Attivit%C3%A0Agonistiche/Safari-

FotograficoSubacqueo/tabid/375/language/it-IT/Default.aspx

Enjoy your We make it

r passion. t possible.

Via Milano 177/B 37014 Castelnuovo d/G Verona - ITALY 0039 45 6450480 info@isotecnic.it

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THE CLOWNFISH

Words

Francesca Romana Reinero Pictures

Alessandro Giannaccini

MARINE BIOLOGY

The Amphiprion bicintus clown fishes are part of the Amphiprioninae subfamily and get their name from the funny, brisk movements and the vibrant coloration. The body is high, the head is small, and the dorsal and ventral profiles are very convex. The pectoral fins are very large, trapezoidal but rounded. Thicker rays support the first half of the dorsal fin while the second part is softer. The anal fin is short and elongated. The ventral fins, rhomboid, are very pointy. The caudal fin has deltoid shape, with rounded corners. The adult specimens’ pattern contemplates a vivid orange-yellow background, with a soft-edged reddish-brown patch that starts from the head up to 3/4 of the body. From the back, originate two irregular white-blueish vertical bands, bordered in black, the first of which forms on the forehead, when viewed frontally, a characteristic inverted V. This species is widespread in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Inhabits atoll lagoons and coral reefs. In the taxonomic classification, they fall into the great family of Pomacentridae, which have a gill operculum equipped with a spine. There are 28 known species of these fish, 27 of which belong to the Amphiprion subfamily and only one to the Premnas subfamily. The Amphiprion ocellaris, one of 27 species, has become by now a myth for young people, thanks to the famous movie Finding Nemo that sees it as the main protagonist. However, its color is bright orange and lives in the eastern Pacific and in northern Australia. Moreover, in the area surrounding New Guinea lives his doppelganger: the Amphiprion percula.

The distribution areas of the two

84 species do not overlap even partially and it is therefore appropriate to identify them properly. These fish, with diurnal habits, live in mutual symbiosis with the anemones of the genus Heteractis, with which remain in close contact and both populations benefit from this association. The clown fish, to protect themselves from predators, manages to squirm nimbly among the stinging tentacles of the anemones. The exact mechanism that allows the fish its immunity to the anemone’s venomous nematocysts is, even today, a subject of debate. The first theory assumes that the clownfish is able to absorb on its skin the mucus produced by the anemone, made up of glucose, which prevent the stinging cells of the commensal to recognize it as food. According to another theory, the fish’s mucus imitates the anemone’s outer surface, which is why the clown fish takes, in fact, several days before adapting to a new species of Heteractis with which it comes into contact. It is also possible, lastly, that the dermis of the clown fish lacks of certain biochemical substances that activate the stinging discharge from the capsules, as it happens instead for the other fishes. To return the favor, the guest protects his anemone from predators, such as butterfly fish and trigger fish, and cleans it from parasites. To the detriment of the popular beliefs, they are territorial fishes and are able to deliver small bites and attacks even to divers, when approaching excessively to their “home”. They are hermaphrodite, feed on zooplankton and anemone’s leftovers, live only about ten years and are distributed in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Western Pacific. Many species live in small groups on one or more contiguous anemones, respecting a strict social hierarchical organization: newborn clownfish are all males, and leader of the group is the only big dominant female, the matriarch. Her male companion is the only sexually mature, while other individuals yet

are not. Thus, only the female and the mature male can procreate, while every other smaller male clownfish, whose growth is repressed by social oppression, occupy the lower ranks in the family hierarchy. Upon the female’s death, the dominant male changes sex and matures within a week, taking on her place, while all the rest of immature males moves one place forward in the hierarchy.

Before the female deposes the eggs, the male is responsible for the cleaning of the substrate to the anemone’s foot, where the eggs will be laid. At this point, the female reaches the male for starting the reproduction and lays the eggs the male fertilizes. Then the male will again be responsible for their cleaning and

86 must flutter its pectoral fins to keep the surrounding water moving. In return, the anemone will protect the eggs laid on the substrate (about 250) with its tentacles. During development, the eggs change color and, from the early days, is possible to glimpse the eyeballs of the larvae peeping out from the eggshell.

The hatching takes place within a week or so, when there is not excessive enlightenment and juveniles, after a short period of pelagic swimming, quickly become assiduous visitors of seabed and anemones. These are fish reaching a dimension no larger than 10 cm in length and there is a sexual dimorphism between the female, which is larger, and the male tending instead to have smaller dimensions. In the area surrounding New Guinea lives his doppelganger: the Amphiprion percula. The distribution areas of the two species do not overlap even partially and it is therefore appropriate to identify them properly. Unfortunately, popularity of the film “Finding Nemo� meant an exponential growth of the purchase of clown fish in aquariums and pet stores, with very serious consequences for both species. It is therefore of concern to experts of avoiding to more and the less young the breeding of these small fish. In fact, the clownfish is suitable only to the care of expert salt-water aquarists, although I personally do not believe it is right in many respects. As we know, everyone acts according to his conscience, but many clown fish die during the journey that leads them to local pet stores. In the aquariums, in addition to being difficult to acclimatize, they suffer from parasitic diseases of the skin, living consequently a shorter and certainly sadder life than in the wild.

Stage #1 In the first stage, the female laid the eggs since 2-3 days. They appear distant from each other and, inside, the embryo is still not formed.

Stage #2 After 10 days from phase 1, we can notice how much the eggs increased their dimension and are consequently more closely spaced. Inside it is possible to notice a well-formed embryo, complete with large colored eyes. In 2-3 days, the eggs will hatch and will give life to many small black fishes.

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INTRODUCING NA-1DX MKII Nauticam is proud to announce a new underwater housing crafted specifically for the latest Canon flagship full frame digital SLR camera, EOS-1DX Mark II. Canon calls the 1DX Mark II “the ideal tool for any professional image creator.” 1DX Mark II is a class leading still photo camera and a professional level 4K video system wrapped in a single body. This is an incredible advantage for an underwater shooter!

The Nauticam NA-1DXII Underwater Housing Nauticam housings are evolutionary marvels, with advancements from previous systems providing the foundation that new models are built on.

The new Nauticam NA-1DXII housing incorporates advances from the Nauticam housings that came before it, but features enhanced ergonomics, more and better control access, and reduced size / weight thanks to cutting edge manufacturing processes.

There is clear continuity within the Nauticam DSLR lineup, and this consistency in control layout is something that professional image makers appreciate. Whether using a 1DX Mark II, 5DSR, or 7D Mark II the control access is remarkably similar, and instantly familiar.

At first glance it seems that Nauticam engineers have literally thought of everything. The truth is, they just listen. The thousands of Nauticam

users, constantly in the field, have thought of everything.

The engineering team integrates this user feedback, and the product line gets better and better with every new model release.

Flash Firing The NA-1DXII Housing comes standard with twin Nikonos flash connectors for electrical strobe triggering.

An optional LED flash trigger is available for rapid fire optical triggering (manual power), and a new TTL Flash Trigger enables automatic flash triggering!

New TTL Flash Trigger!

Alongside the NA-1DXII, Nauticam is proud to release a new TTL Flash Trigger.

PREVIEW This hotshoe mounted optical flash trigger provides automatic TTL Flash when used with Inon S-TTL and Sea & Sea DS-TTL Strobes connected by fiber optic cables. The TTL trigger also offers manual triggering, including rear curtain sync, with any compatible slave strobe.

Accurate automatic TTL flash exposure has been a favorite feature of Nauticam photographers using cameras with pop up flashes, and we are excited to bring this advanced flash control functionality to the NA-1DXII housing!

Powered by a single Canon NB-13L rechargeable battery, the TTL Trigger provides approximately 150 full power flashes.

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Housing Compatibility: NA-1DXII, NA-1DX, NA-5DSR, NA-7DMKII, NA-6D, NA-5DMKIII, and NA-70D Nauticam Housings

Optical TTL Strobe Compatibility: Inon S-2000, D-2000, and Z-240 Sea & Sea YS-D1, YS-D2, and YS-01

Integrated Vacuum Check and Leak Detection System The Nauticam vacuum check and leak detection system is shipped with NA-1DXII as standard equipment.

Combined with an accessory vacuum valve (PN 25625), this monitoring system provides constant updates on the water tight and safe-to-dive status of the housing.

A simple color coded LED lighting system lets the user know that the vacuum is solid, or that the housing is losing vacuum.

Leak detection is built into the same circuit, so if there is water intrusion, an audible and visual indication will occur.

The Nauticam system is temperature compensated, eliminating false alarms caused by a change in outside temperature, or from a camera heating up on an action packed dive.

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114

STICK TO YOUR MAXIMUM OPERATING DETPH

Answer: As you surmise, the logic employed by the other divers was not valid.

The gas in their lungs would be compressed as they descend, whether or not they breath-hold. Descent produces an increase in the gradient that drives oxygen into the blood, and the volume of gas in the lungs is substantial enough that constant breathing is not required for the effect to be meaningful.

The risk of oxygen toxicity also increases with increasing exercise intensity and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. Thus, not only did these divers fail to eliminate the elevated oxygen exposure, but also the breath-hold would have created rising CO2 levels to further increase the risk of toxicity if sustained for a substantial period of time.

The question of what is an appropriate maximum partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) has evolved recently. The old limit of 1.6 ATA has largely been replaced with 1.4 ATA, particularly for depths where the complication of a seizure would be much more difficult to survive.

One of the most challenging realities to understand in diving physiology is that getting away with something once, twice or 10 times is not a guarantee of future safety. Respecting maximum operating depths to limit PO2 to no more than 1.4 ATA and keeping exercise intensity at depth as low as possible should be the baseline for safe practice. Creative alternatives may be enticing right up to the point where they fail. The best way to prioritize safety is to adopt more conservative limits wherever feasible, and bear in mind, in real time, that the worst possible outcomes really can happen.

Our diving fatality databases make this unhappy truth very clear.

DAN EUROPE

Question: On a recent dive trip, my buddies and I dived using 30 percent nitrox. Beyond our maximum operating depth was a big turtle that my buddies wanted to photograph. They decided to take deep breaths and hold them to prevent breathing in oxygen at the deeper depth. Besides the obvious concerns regarding breath-holding and exceeding maximum operating depth, I thought the oxygen in a diver’s system would be compressed to ambient pressure regardless of whether or not he breathed. Can you please clarify?

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