Dive Pacific issue 164 june/july 2018 by Dive Publishing

ISSUE 164 - $9.90 inc GST June / July 2018

PA C I F I C ’ S M O S T I N F O R M AT I V E D I V E M A G A Z I N E

A Humpback whale calf comes to play in Tahiti

Cook Is cave diving treasure

• G iant devil rays foreplay captured for first time

www.Dive-Pacific.com

• Want to dive under ice? New column! pearos S notebook

Scotland Prehistoric Basking Sharks

Vanuatu

Hanging with the President

www.divenewzealand.com 1

â&#x20AC;&#x153;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.â&#x20AC;? ~ Simon Bowen

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An experience without equal

At Wakatobi, you don’t compromise on comfort to get away from it all. Our private air charter brings you directly to this luxuriously remote island, where all the indulgences of a five-star resort and luxury liveaboard await. Our dive team and private guides ensure your in-water experiences are perfectly matched to your abilities and interests. Your underwater encounters will create lasting memories that will remain vivid and rewarding long after the visit to Wakatobi is concluded. While at the resort, or on board the dive yacht Pelagian, you need only ask and we will gladly provide any service or facility within our power. This unmatched combination of worldrenowned reefs and first-class luxuries put Wakatobi in a category all its own.

www.wakatobi.com www.divenewzealand.com 1

contents In Depth 4 EDITORIAL: Plastic, plastic and a lot more plastic Plus, The Great Barrier Reef is indeed a world asset, with Dave Moran SOUNDINGS L ocal and international news & comment 6 Mysterious shipwrecks to yield their secrets Diver dies at Doubtful Sound 7 Diving for the history of the Southern Cross Cable Contest to find ways to reduce marine pests cuts out too early 10 New package deal to Munda offered Solomon Airlines ‘best little airline in the Pacific’ SPECIAL FEATURES 12 For the first time the foreplay of Giant Devil Rays has been witnessed and wow, is it interesting! 28 You too could train for diving under ice. Warrick Powrie tells us why he got skilled up for it, and what was involved 38 Emperor Penguins are being tagged for their own good 40 The basking sharks off the north of Scotland are an experience worth every effort it takes to get there, writes Tony Burt 43 Caves in the Cook Islands are simply awe inspiring, as majestic as any anywhere. Now they’re being mapped for more divers to enjoy 72 Tec Fest Fixture Report NEW COLUMN! 50 pearos notebook AUTUMN DIVING AT LITTLE BARRIER THE BEST

BUCKET LIST – DESTINATIONS 18 Fiji’s hot spots for diving are legendary; here’s just some of them 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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40 50

32 NEW

ZEALA ND ’S

O N LY

D IVE

MAGAZIN E

ISSUE 164 - $9.90 inc GST June / July 2018

23 Big sharks and ripping currents. Tahiti’s atolls excel - Tahiti Part II 32 Hanging with the President. Nigel Marsh extolls the timeless attractions of Vanuatu’s SS Coolidge GEAR BAG 52 New stuff to capture your wallet

A Humpback whale calf comes to play in Tahiti

OUR EXPERT COLUMNISTS 55 Estuarine Clingfish, Species Focus, with Paul Caiger

Cook Is cave diving treasure

• Giant devil rays foreplay captured for first time

• Want to dive under ice?

www.DiveNewZealand.com

56 U nrecognised case of skin DCS resolves spontaneously. Incident Insights with DAN, the Divers Alert Network

New column! Spearos notebook

Scotland Prehistoric Basking Sharks

Vanuatu

Hanging with the President

Covers 164.indd 1

58 N itrogen narcosis is about to be researched in New Zealand. Dive Medicine, with Professor Simon Mitchell 64 U nderstanding histograms. Digital Imaging with Hans Weichselbaum 66 Diving the Web, with Phil Bendle 60 S hades of Colour - more stunning images in our regular photo competition 8 Crayfish crisis not over, Legasea Update

JUST FOR FUN! 48 Trouble in Gran Malaria! – Hilarity hits when Traffic Policeman Glommer gets pinched at 20m 49 B ACK IN THE DAY! Remember the Queen’s visit back in the 1950s? Well, a Dive report years afterwards suggests all was not what it should have been when divers were asked to do security. 67 Classifieds 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.

22/05/18 4:43 PM

A Humpback whale calf comes to play at Tahiti. Photo: Dave Abbott

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INDEPTH established

EDITORIAL

1 9 9 0

Plastics – plastics – plus a lot more d istribu ted

o ver sea s

a s

April/May 2018 Issue 163

t was with interest that I read in the New Zealand Herald regarding the ongoing battle to limit the amount of plastic material entering waterways and eventually the ocean.

Publisher Gilbert Peterson +64 27 494 9629 Dive Publishing P.O. Box 34 687 Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand 0746 divenz@divenewzealand.co.nz

We were in a ramshackle warehouse in Parnell, Auckland where large acrylic panels were stored. Kelly had a master plan as to how we were going to bend them to form the aquarium’s walk-through tunnel. I vividly

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 Aust: 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 ISSN 1774-5622 (print) ISSN 2324-3236 (online)

Jose G Cano Photography: www.josegcano.com

Catch us on FACEBOOK Click on the links at www.DiveNewZealand.com

Diver Emergency Number, New Zealand : 0800 4 DES 11 1800 088 200 (toll free) Australia : +61-8-8212 9242

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The article mentioned tiny plastic pellets “nurdles” which are less than 5mm in diameter. These are the raw material that is used to produce plastic products. The article took me back to the early 1980s when I was installing the entire electrical system for my good friend Kelly Tarlton when he was constructing his aquarium on Auckland’s Tamaki Drive – Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World, now known as Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium.

remember seeing thousands of raw plastic pellets scattered all over the warehouse floor. A few of the bags containing these pellets had split. At the end of the day a storeman hosed down the floor directing the pellets to an in-floor waste water trap. A few years later I heard that if you carefully examined the sand on the beaches of Auckland you would discover thousands of these near undetectable pellets. Someone estimated that there

away! The plastic pollution was locally generated. Locals did not seem concerned! Mankind has a long way to go! Visit: https://bagsnot.org.nz

New Zealander, environmentalist and shark scientist Riley Elliott is saying "bags not" to plastic bags

were tonnes of these pellets on New Zealand beaches. The public awareness of the pellets was about zero. Beach goers did not notice the pellets due to them being so small that they basically look like sand material!

will not be supplying plastic bags for your take home goods from 21st May in 10 of its stores. Countdown currently use 350 million plastic bags a year! Other supermarkets are expected to follow Countdown’s bold lead.

I hope that the practice of material on a warehouse floor being washed away into the waste-water system/ocean is no more!

Australia is way ahead of New Zealand on this. From 1 July, free single use plastic bags will be banned virtually nationwide for basically every form of shopping. Even at the local takeaway.

I noted on Wikipedia that 27 million tonnes of nurdles are manufactured annually in the United States. Researchers calculated that nurdles comprised roughly 98% of the beach debris collected in a 2001 Orange County (USA) study! It would be interesting to see what the percentage is on New Zealand beaches. We all know that what is on the beaches is a minute fraction of the microplastic in the total marine environment. The public is now very aware of the problems that plastic is contributing to the environment. But what can you do? Some people are changing the way they discard plastic waste and how they bring home their supermarket shopping. It’s great to see that one of New Zealand’s major supermarkets, Countdown,

To get an idea of the mind-boggling number of plastic bags used when shopping: Woolworths’ shoppers in Australia take home 3.2 billion plastic bags a year! It’s a small personal commitment to take your own reusable bag when you go shopping. It’s your contribution to slowly decrease the global volume of the discarded plastic entering our environment and food chain. I remember leaving a small boat departure point to a diving resort off the main island of Manado in Indonesia. We motored through more than 100 metres of floating plastic before we were in open water. God knows what lay beneath the surface. I was shocked, expecting a pristine environment after leaving the pollution of Jakarta 2174km

Great Barrier Reef a world “asset” A bouquet to the Australian Federal Government! It was recently announced that more than A$500 million has been allocated for the ongoing preservation of the Great Barrier Reef. This follows A$60 million previously announced in January. As in New Zealand, the quality of water entering the marine environment is a major issue in Australia. You realise how big it is when it is estimated that funding required to meet water quality targets on the Great Barrier Reef is a minimum of A$1 billion per year over the next 10 years. It’s good to see that New Zealand and Australian Governments are very aware of the need to remove the vast assortments of pollutants entering waterways feeding the ocean. Mankind has a long way to go to fix the pollution we have created. Let’s see who’s winning the battle in 10 years. Visit: Great Barrier Reef Foundation www.barrierreef.org/

- Dave Moran Editor at Large

www.divenewzealand.com 5

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL

Underwater briefs Marine Reserve to celebrate 10 years Taputeranga Marine Reserve in Wellington is to celebrate its 10th year this year – go to: http://taputeranga.org.nz

Club Marine goes social You’re invited to join Australasia’s biggest boating community on Club Marine’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Club Marine, a pleasure craft insurer, supports more than 100 regional and international marine events. You’ll see regular posts and stunning photos from around Australia and New Zealand.

Air Tahiti Nui’s Dreamliners open for sale Air Tahiti Nui’s four new Dreamliners have opened for sale for flights beginning in November. The announcement coincides with Air Tahiti Nui’s 20th anniversary this year. They have three configurations: Premium Economy with extra leg room, enhanced Economy and Business with full lie flat seat/beds. All come with Panasonic’s most advanced Inflight Entertainment (IFE) system including satellite broadband. www.airtahitinui.co.nz

Does dive gear have to come wrapped in plastic?

Mysterious shipwrecks to yield their secrets

xperts are planning to investigate a mysterious Great Lakes shipwreck they say may be the oldest in Lake Erie in the US, and might be nearly 200 years old. The National Museum of the Great Lakes wants to identify the shipwreck, which archaeologists believe is the Lake Serpent, a schooner that sank in 1829. The shipwreck site was discovered by Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE) in 2015 and since then the possibilities of what shipwreck it is have been narrowed from over 200 to 3, explained the Museum, in a statement. “To make a final identification we need to spend about 10 days underwater excavating the portions of the buried schooner to be sure!” Built in Cleveland in 1821, the Lake Serpent carried cargo for eight years until its sinking in late September or early October 1829, according to the Toledo, Ohio-based Museum. “Identifying and surveying this shipwreck is important because once completed we will understand why the Lake Serpent sank in 1829 and the site can tell us about early 19th century shipbuilding techniques that were used in Cleveland.”

An Indiegogo campaign has been launched to raise funds for an investigation of the wreck site. The Great Lakes have several shipwreck secrets. In May 2008, for example, two explorers discovered the Ontario, lost in Lake Ontario in 1780, and the oldest shipwreck ever found in the Great Lakes and the only British warship of the period still in existence. Later that year, the explorers Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville discovered a rare 19th-century schooner sitting upright 130 metres under Lake Ontario. In 2016, Kennard was part of a team of underwater explorers that discovered the second-oldest confirmed shipwreck in the Great Lakes, The Washington, an American-built, Canadian-owned sloop that sank in Lake Ontario during a fierce storm in 1803.

Diver killed in Doubtful Sound

A With plastic polluting our oceans, dive manufacturers are major contributors to the problem. So we’re joining the plea from Undercurrent to dive gear manufacturers: Step up and do something about how products are wrapped in plastic, particularly sturdy items like fins and snorkels. Just one turtle dying, thinking a plastic fin package is a jellyfish, is one too many. Write to your favorite scuba equipment brand and tell them to drop the plastic packaging.

6 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

diver who died after being found unresponsive in Doubtful Sound lin late March was Ian Gregory Wells from Roxburgh in Central Otago. Police responded to reports the diver was in trouble at Bauza Island in Fiordland. Despite a boat responding to a distress call resulting in a doctor performing CPR on the diver, he didn't survive, police said. Sergeant Tod Hollebon said the diver came from a boat with nine people on board. Two others who had also been diving helped bring the unresponsive diver to the surface, and they

were taken to Invercargill Hospital as a precaution. The death has been referred to the coroner.

SOUNDINGS

LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL

Diving for history of the Southern Cross Cable

rtist Bronwyn Holloway-Smith tested the depths of her comfort zone by learning to scuba dive as part of her PhD research into the history of the Southern Cross Cable, New Zealand’s primary internet connection to the world. Since its installation in 2000, the cable the width of a garden hose, has carried 98% of New Zealand’s international internet traffic; 4.5 million users every day.

“Expressions like The Cloud, wireless and cyberspace evoke ideas that it is all happening above our heads when it is all actually beneath our feet.” Ms Holloway-Smith planned a dive to see and touch the cable for herself in a part of the Hauraki Gulf where it passes through a disused-explosives dumping ground. She gained her advanced open water diving license, then upskilled with a deep diving course to test if she could handle it, and do it safely. In addition, she wanted to determine whether a dive to the cable amid growing security restrictions was actually achievable. Early this year she realised her ambition by diving to the cable in a secret location in the Hauraki Gulf.

Bronwyn Holloway-Smith

The cable is 30,000 kilometres long and traces a figure eight over the floor of the Pacific Ocean from Takapuna Beach on Auckland’s North Shore to Hawaii then to the US mainland and back, then through Fiji, Sydney and Muriwai Beach in Auckland’s west. Landing stations in Auckland at Northcote and Whenuapai connect the cable with local New Zealand networks. Ms Holloway-Smith who is carrying out her research with Massey’s College of Creative Arts says one of her objectives is de-mystify how the cable operates and how the internet is provided to New Zealand homes and businesses.

“It was an exercise in real persistence but I got to hold it in my hands, a bit like Ma-ui in E Mervyn Taylor’s mural Te Ika-aMa-ui: the story of Ma-ui fishing up the North Island.” Since 2014 Ms Holloway-Smith has led a search for 12 murals created by E Mervyn Taylor between 1956 and 1964, a search inspired by the discovery of one of his few surviving murals Te Ika-a-Ma-ui stored in cardboard boxes in a disused cable station she visited for her Southern Cross Cable research. Taylor was commissioned by the New Zealand Post Office to create the ceramic tile mural showing Maui drawing New Zealand “out of the Pacific into the telephone systems of the world.”

Underwater briefs Unidentified whale signals recorded Two yet-to-be identified species of beaked whales have been detected in the Cook Strait region. The first findings by NIWA marine mammal experts Dr Giacomo Giorli and Dr Kim Goetz and their collaborators from JASCO Applied Sciences, are published in the latest issue of the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. There are about 22 species of beaked whales globally, of which about 13 have been found in New Zealand, but very little is known about them. Beaked whales, like all toothed whales (such as dolphins, sperm and killer whales) use echolocation to locate prey in the dark deep-sea environment. Dr Giorli says that matching the recordings of the beaked whales to the correct species can only be done by concurrent visual and acoustic observation, which has not happened yet The paper can be found at: https://asa.scitation.org/ doi/10.1121/1.5032127

Benefits of shark excrement Marine biologists from Imperial College, London and the University of California, Santa Barbara, have discovered that shark faeces deposited on shallow coral reefs provides vital nutrients for coral growth. They estimated that more than 94kg of nitrogen was dropped daily on a research area of Palmyra Atoll, due south of Hawaii, with resulting nutrients acting as a fertilizer for the reef ecosystem.

New brains to get rid of marine pests cuts out early Scientists launching “a worldwide crowdsourcing competition aimed at finding novel ideas to tackle invasive marine pests” closed it off after only six weeks. The competition run by a consortium of biosecurity scientists from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA was for anyone with “out-of-the-box ideas.” They launched it on March 27th then closed it off on May 10, well before it was well promoted, let alone

responded to. With science based solutions often taking a decade or more to become proven, allowing six weeks to learn “new ideas” calls into question the competition’s credibility. Project Leader and NIWA marine biosecurity expert, Dr Graeme Inglis said new thinking was urgently needed. “Finding a pest and killing or neutralising it without harming our native marine ecosystem is difficult,” he said, adding that

“attempts to eradicate marine pests or reduce their abundance have so far relied mostly on divers or shore-based observers spotting and removing them.” A cash prize of $US10,000 was on offer for the best idea with the competition posted on the crowdsourcing platform InnoCentive ( www.innocentive.com ) which is said to connect organisations seeking ideas with a network of about 380,000 registered “Solvers”.

www.divenewzealand.com 7

LegaSea Update

Z-330 STROBE

Crayfish crisis not over

f you were one of the thousands of people who completed the LegaSea Crayfish Crisis survey earlier in the year, thanks a lot. LegaSea appreciates your time and the information you shared to help us build a picture of what has changed in the cray fishery between Pakiri in the north and East Cape. There is overwhelming support to manage this fishery, known as CRA 2, in a more precautionary manner. The Minister has considered all the data, made a decision, and the new catch limits have applied since April 1st, 2018. Recreational fishers are dissatisfied that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the National Rock Lobster Management Group have failed to manage the CRA 2 fishery in an abundant state.

…a bag limit reduction to one or two crayfish per person may not contribute much to the required rebuild.… CRA 2 has been decimated by years of excessive commercial potting yet the managers have avoided making the hard decisions. Now the fishery is in desperate need of rebuilding. Over the past few months many recreational fishers have indicated they want to contribute to restoring CRA 2 to healthy levels. Our dilemma is working out how we can make a meaningful contribution to this rebuild when CRA 2 is so depleted. MPI has indicated they will issue a paper in the next few months discussing various bag limit reductions. We know from the 2011-12 National Panel Survey that only 17% of fishers return with a maximum

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8 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

bag limit of six. Researchers have also found that 73% of us return with zero, or one or two crayfish. So a bag limit reduction to one or two crayfish per person may not contribute much to the required rebuild. Where does this leave us? We cannot expect recreational fishers to agree to a zero bag limit if MPI and commercial fishing continues its relentless drive to grow export markets. Around 95% of live cray exports already go to China, which suggests that a diner in China has better access to our crayfish than a Kiwi family in Aotearoa. We need to bring some equity into this conversation. It is grossly unfair that crayfish quota owners are benefiting from a fishery that is fast becoming inaccessible and yet is supposed to belong to ordinary New Zealanders. Even more concerning is the unknown environmental effects of depleting the cray fishery to the point where its population cannot even carry out their role in maintaining nature’s balance, all because of high prices, inadequate management, and greed. We owe it to our kids to restore this fishery now. Subscribe and standby for more info on how you can have your say on the next phase of the crayfish debate. 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

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

Magical Munda - Dive the unexplored

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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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; untouched and unspoilt

Winner divemunda@dive-solomon.com Find us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram www.divenewzealand.com 9

SOUNDINGS NEWS

Solomon Airlines Brisbane-Munda service a catalyst for new dive/accommodation special

olomon Airlines has combined resources with Dive Munda and the Agnes Gateway Hotel in Munda to offer a value-added eight-night package complete with return flights to Munda ex-Brisbane. Operating via Honiara on Saturdays and returning on Sundays, the package includes all accommodation at the Agnes Gateway Hotel and 12 dives with Dive Munda. Available for sale until 16 July and valid for travel til to 29 July 2018*, the program has been scheduled to offer seamless flight connections for passengers travelling on board Solomon Airlines’ services. These include flights to/from Adelaide, Cairns, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney in partnership with Qantas Airways. Ex-Auckland connections are available with both Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand.

The Solomon Airlines flight to/ from Brisbane to Munda via Honiara operate as follows: Saturday - Flights IE 701/IE 802 Depart Brisbane 1030 Arrive Honiara 1445 Depart Honiara 1530 Arrive Munda 1625 Sunday – Flights IE 801/IE 700 Depart Munda 1055 Arrive Honiara 1150 Depart Honiara 1315 Arrive Brisbane 1530 The eight-night Dive-Fly-Stay package is readily available via Australian and New Zealand wholesalers packaging the destination, and starts from $A2,140 per diver which includes return airfare and taxes from Brisbane to Munda via Honiara with Solomon Airlines which will transfer passengers directly to Munda after customs and immigration procedures have been completed.

The price is also based on double occupancy* for the 8 nights in upgraded Ibiubu Cottages at Agnes Gateway Hotel and 6 days of 2 tank morning dives** with the award winning Munda Dive team. Welcoming the commencement of the initiative, Solomon Airlines’ CEO, Brett Gebers said the Brisbane-Munda service had the potential to act as a major boost for increased tourism to Munda, one of the Solomon Islands’ primary cultural, dive and sports fishing locations. The area is also renowned for its WWII history. The small print: * Single Occupancy Surcharge of $50 AUD per diver per night applies. ** Price does not include Daily Kastom/ Marine Park fee at $A20 per diver, gear

rental at $A50 per day and Nitrox at $A200 for the week.

Solomon Airlines – the ‘best little airline in the Pacific’ Solomon Airlines, the national airline of the Solomon Islands and the ‘best little airline in the Pacific’, will proudly celebrate 56 years of service in October. The carrier has come a very long way from its humble beginnings in 1962 when as it first began operating a charter service between the Solomon islands and Papua New Guinea as ‘Megapode Airlines’. The airline today operates four weekly services between Brisbane and Honiara on its IE 700 and IE 701 services and also flies to Nadi, Fiji; Port Vila, Vanuatu, and Tarawa in Kiribati. Major developments taking place within the last 18 months have included the signing of watershed codeshare agreements with Qantas Airways, Air Niugini, Air Vanuatu and Fiij Airways giving Solomon Airlines access to a huge international network encompassing Australia and New Zealand, Asia, North America and Europe. The pride of the Solomon Airlines fleet is the sleek Airbus A-320 configured to 16 ‘Executive Business Class seats’ aka ‘Belama Club Class’ and 120 in economy class with all passengers benefiting from full in flight service including meals and beverages with no more to pay. The national carrier also provides a vital domestic air lifeline for some 500,000 Solomon Islanders living in the archipelago of some 990 islands as well as ease of access for the 24,000 or so international visitors the Solomon Islands attracts every year.

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SOUNDINGS NEWS

fly, stay, dive packages at Munda 8 nights up to 55% off*

NOW ON SALE

Take off with Solomon Airlines for exciting times in the Solomon Islands. Fly, stay and dive from just $2,140* per person twin share for 8 nights at Agnes Gateway Hotel. Sale ends 16th July, 2018. Travel period up to 21st July, 2018. * Prices shown are ex Brisbane, inclusive of taxes and subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

BOOK NOW â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SALE ENDS 16TH JULY, 2018 Visit flysolomons.com/winterspecials or Call 1300 894 311 www.divenewzealand.com 11

Giant Devil Rays foreplay Breeding behaviour witnessed for first time For the first time the courtship behaviour of the giant devil ray (Mobula mobular) has been witnessed and recorded in New Zealand’s northern waters. On March 4th last year two scientists watched and videoed a full-term pregnant female with up to four males in hot pursuit, for nearly 2 ½ hours. The rays mate immediately after the female gives birth. The males chase, waiting for this moment. This report is a summary of a scientific paper written by Clinton Duffy and Scott Tindale, from the NZ Dept of Conservation and Auckland Museum respectively.

ot much is known about the courtship behaviour of rays but Scott Tindale is now able to report these have similarities to those of other large mobulids, and provide the strongest evidence to date of reproduction by this species in New Zealand waters. The scientists did not see the female being bitten as has been reported for similar species elsewhere, possibly due to the way she used the sea surface to prevent males positioning themselves above her. Nonetheless each time she did that the lead male pressed her abdomen from beneath.

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Rarely seen

Seeing mating behaviour of this sort is rare, particularly for the highly mobile and highly specialised pelagics such as manta and devil rays which are found around the world in both tropical and temperate regions.

and branchial filter plates and as by-catch though where there are resident populations or predictable seasonal aggregations they have considerable eco- tourism value. But their resilience to fishing is low due to their very low population growth rate; better knowledge of

…The female swam rapidly ahead of the pursuing males, often banking steeply or swimming in an inverted loop to get behind them. She would also stop suddenly forcing the following males to overshoot and circle back… They are also increasingly at risk due to fishery practices, pollution and habitat loss. Rays are taken for their meat, skin

their reproductive behaviour can shed light on their numbers and prospects.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists several of their kind as vulnerable and/or endangered.

What happened

At around midday on March 4th 2017 two groups of rays were first seen. Scott Tindale and Clinton Duffy used GoPro5 and Contour 1700 HD digital video cameras attached to a camera pole to capture the images. The seas were calm, conditions clear and sunny. The sea depth was 165 m with the sea surface temperature 21.8o C. Underwater visibility was estimated at 20m. A first group of three rays between 2.0 to 2.5 m wide swam rapidly in straight lines, changing direction frequently. The sex of the rays in this group could not be determined though the largest of them looked to be pregnant with a definite bulge mid drift.

Photo 2: A pregnant female giant devil ray (Mobular mobular) being pursued by two males

Photo 3: Pregnant female giant devil ray swimming in a tight circle to get behind three pursuing males

…The closest male would approach from below and behind, and gently press the female’s abdomen, underside of her head, and pectoral fin with his cephalic fins… The second group consisted of a full term pregnant female three metres wide, (Photo 2) pursued by four others. Two were 2.5 to 2.8 m wide, with the other two smaller. These four were judged to be mature males based upon the size of their claspers. No clasper scarring was seen which suggests none of the males had mated recently. Throughout the two and half hour period the female swam rapidly ahead of the pursuing males, often banking steeply or swimming in an inverted loop to get behind them (Photo 3). The female would also stop suddenly forcing the following males to overshoot and circle back. From time to time she would stop swimming just below, or at the surface with her back and one or more wing tips clear of the water. When this occurred, the closest male would approach from below and behind, and gently press the female’s abdomen, underside of her head and pectoral fin with his cephalic fins and the top of his head (Lead photo & Photo 7).

Photo 4: Possible attempt by a male giant devil ray to grasp the left pectoral fin tip of a pregnant female

www.divenewzealand.com 13

Giant devil ray in hot pursuit of a female

The female would tolerate this briefly before accelerating away, or turning almost 180Â° on top of the male, and swimming off in the opposite direction, accompanied by a lot of splashing as the femaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pectoral fins slapped the surface. On three occasions while the female was at the surface the male appeared to try and grasp

the femaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pectoral fin tip (Photo 4). These were the only attempts to bite the female observed. No mating scars were noted on the female.

surface only the closest male would make contact with her. The other large male would circle the pair, sometimes joined by one or both of the smaller males.

No aggression or interference was observed between the pursuing males. But the two largest were always the closest to the female. When the female slowed at the

At other times the smaller males would circle below them, often out of shot, hen rise rapidly to rejoin the train as soon as the female began to move off again.

Giant devil rays (Mobula mobular) with pilot fish (Naucrates ductor), showing diagnostic characters, including: white tipped dorsal fin; spine at base of tail; dark collar extending between spiracles; spiracle located above the pectoral fin origin; and long, whip-like tail. The claspers of the lead animal are visible protruding beyond the posterior margin of the pelvic fins

14 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

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Photo 7: Male giant devil ray pressing the abdomen of a pregnant female as she surfaced before thrashing the water to make her escape

Weighing up the encounter

The courtship behaviour witnessed appears similar to that of other large rays involving prolonged close pursuit of females by multiple males in mating trains. The female avoidance involves faster than usual swimming speeds and veering, circling and looping behaviour. Copulation in other large rays (M. alfredi and M. birostris) involves the male grasping the female’s pectoral fin tip, usually the left, with its mouth and positioning itself abdomen-to-abdomen with the female. Most descriptions of courtship behaviour in mobulids do not involve obviously pregnant females, but others elsewhere have witnessed males pursuing pregnant females on several

occasions. What was seen on this occasion were males repeatedly pushing against the female’s underside, including the distended abdomen, courtship behaviour which has also been observed in bat rays (Myliobatis californica) where males closely follow and ‘bump’ or push against the female’s underside and cloaca.

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Male rays appear able to distinguish between reproductive and non-reproductive females in the same area. The male of one species (Dasyatis Americana) has been shown to be strongly attracted to females that have recently given birth. Seeing a mating train, including a full-term pregnant female, is strong evidence that rays are indeed breeding off Northland, New Zealand, and as observed elsewhere, it takes place during late spring and early summer based on clasper condition, and the presence of semen in the claspers.

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At about 3.15 pm all five rays followed the female in a downward spiral from the place where they were first seen.

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SOUNDINGS NEWS

Photo: Aliscia Young

Pan Pacific clean sweep for Queenstown freediver

ueenstown freediver Kathryn Nevatt came away with gold in all three events at the Pan Pacific Freediving Championships in Tokyo late March, and regained the title of Pan Pacific Champion. In the Static apnea discipline Kathryn held her breath for 7 minutes 23 seconds; for Dynamic apnea she swam 198m underwater on a single breath wearing a monofin; and for Dynamic apnea without fins she swam 156m on a single breath. “I’ve trained hard for this event and I’m really pleased I managed to pull it all together when it counted,” she said. “This is the first time I’ve managed a clean sweep of gold medals abroad.” Kathryn, a registered architect, has been freediving since 2006. Fellow Kiwi Suzy Malseed won the silver medal for Dynamic apnea with 193m and came fourth in the Dynamic without fins with 131m. Overall the New Zealand team took out third place behind Japan and New Caledonia. The New Zealand team was Rosemary Freeman of Hamilton, Suzy Malseed living in Australia, Nevatt, John Wright from Singapore, Nathanial Fairweather

of Auckland and Damien Jones from Queenstown. The men’s overall winner was Alexey Molchanov from Russia, the current depth world record holder.

FREEDIVING FACTS Freediving, a breath holding sport, is essentially snorkelling taken to extremes. There are six competition disciplines, three based in a pool and three in open water. Freedivers learn to control their bodies to conserve oxygen. They experience the Mammalian Dive Response present in all mammals which enables the body to conserve oxygen. The heart rate naturally slows down and blood pressure increases. The spleen contracts to push more oxygen rich red blood cells into circulation and vasoconstriction reduces blood flow to the extremities, keeping it where it is required at the vital organs. This, combined with a meditative state to reduce the brain’s oxygen consumption (the brain uses about 20% of the body’s oxygen), and quite a bit of adaptive training allows freedivers to hold their breath for long periods of time.

The body’s last natural defense to make you breathe is black-out. Black-outs in freediving are usually only a few seconds and brain damage does not occur until several minutes have past after black-out. In competition they result in disqualification. There are now six freediving clubs throughout New Zealand with hundreds of members teaching and training new divers. Freediving can assist with breath control, oxygen consumption and lactic thresholds for other sports. www.freedivers.co.nz Kathryn Nevatt

Photo: Lisa Borg

Urgent review called for over shipping security threat from drones Commercial shippers are becoming alarmed at the growing threat posed by drones. The terrorist use of drones deploying explosives is already well documented; the potential for a drone to deliver an explosive charge through the deck of an oil/gas tanker or on a passenger ship is potentially catastrophic. The international code for shipping 16 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

security measures brought in post 9/11 are specific and comprehensive for identifying all risks and providing countermeasures except for those from drones which until now had not been considered. Said Martek Marine CEO Paul Luen, an international supplier of shipping equipment, “The ISPS needs an urgent update to address this growing threat.”

SOUNDINGS NEWS

Spirit of Freedom celebrates 15 years, wins ‘best liveaboard’, again

n 2002 Tusa Dive which has explored the Great Barrier Reef since 1986, purchased the MV Spirit of Freedom to offer luxury liveaboard diving trips to the Great Barrier Reef. Now, 15 years later, and thanks to its annual four week long refit and maintenance programme, and highly rated crew of 10, the 37m, 250 tonne ship is as well-equipped and comfortable as ever. That’s also thanks in part to its electronic stabilisers and heavy duty engines. In fact the ship has just been voted Australia’s best liveaboard again by readers of a leading Australian dive magazine. Home port for the Spirit of Freedom is Cairns, the bustling, cosmopolitan city known as the ‘Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef’, close to World Heritage Rainforests, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Scenic Rail, Tjapuki Aboriginal Park, Lava Tubes, crocodile spotting and more. The ship operates in the north of the Great Barrier Reef where relatively warm winters and high humidity in the summers prevail. Water temperatures range from 24C in winter to 30C in summer. Air temperatures go from 24C to 32C. May to December is the dry season. In June and July on the Ribbon Reefs, Dwarf Minke Whales arrive from the Antarctic. From September to December the water warms up, with generally clear sunny days and light winds. Many coral reef species breed at this time, with coral spawning en-masse in October and/ or November. Manta Rays are common in the Coral Sea from April to October when air temperatures range from 20-32°C and the water averages 27°C. January through April is the wetter season with tropical monsoonal weather bringing amazing feeding and marine action along with juvenile fish following the breeding season. Manta Rays are also common on the Great Barrier Reef at this time.

Equipped for diving The dive deck has individual stations for 26 guests. Air and Nitrox whips allow tanks to remain in their rack, supplying air and Nitrox at 32%. For photographers there is a camera wash tub, small camera table and air gun. Fresh water showers are at the aft of the dive deck with 2 x Bauer 21 CFM Compressors; a DNAx Nitrox Membrane System; 65 cf & 88 cf Alloy Tanks; Uwatec Aladin Prime Dive Computers, individual scuba gear items and 3mm and 5mm full lengths wetsuits. All dives are supervised by the Trip Director supported by three other Instructors and a Divemaster. The Spirit of Freedom was custom built for long range cruising. She carries a current 1B Queensland survey to 260 miles offshore range including all Coral Sea Reefs and islands. www.spiritoffreedom.com.au www.divenewzealand.com 17

Fiji’s hot spots for diving Endless barrier reefs, lagoons, shark diving, corals, sponges, 1000 fish species… Circled by two of the world’s largest barrier reefs, Fiji presents the ultimate diving adventure. The country’s 333 islands support over a 1000 species of fish and several hundred types of corals and sponges. Diving opportunities are endless, with worldclass dive sites and an abundance of PADI and SSI affiliated dive operators scattered throughout the main dive regions.

MAMABUCA and YASAWA islands The Mamanuca Islands are the closest to Fiji’s international hub, Nadi, and accessible by a short ferry ride, or even shorter helicopter transfer. The spot is perfect for newly certified divers to discover Fiji’s marine environment, whether staying at an adultsonly resort or on holiday with the family. Kids as young as 10 are able to give diving a go in Fiji.

18 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

The Yasawa Islands stretch north from the Mamanuca Islands in a long chain of rugged islands. In the south of the group you’ll find a range of backpacker resorts, many with their own dive centres. The northern islands harbour several luxury resorts where diving, as well as gourmet food and five-star day spas, are included with your stay. Two shark dives are on offer in the Yasawa Islands: Barefoot Kuata

Island Resort offers an “Awakening Shark Dive” frequented by up to 11 species of shark in just 20m of water, while Dive Yasawa Lagoon operates a shark dive experience at Cathedral Reef.

KADAVU Island Kadavu Island is best known for the Great Astrolabe Reef, the fourth largest reef in the world. All resorts on Kadavu Island offer snorkelling and scuba diving. Those staying in the north of

Fiji

Beqa shark dive

Kadavu have access to the 63m wreck of the Pacific Voyager and the Namalata Reef system in addition to the Great Astrolabe Reef itself, and you can snorkel with manta-rays off Buliya Island. In the south, the Great Astrolabe Reef on their doorstep, with diving alongside the big fish that breed on the reef: tuna, marlin, giant trevally and a variety of sharks. Kadavu’s remoteness has resulted in resorts that are sustainably run with eco-friendly yet comfortable facilities; much of what’s served on your plate is likely to come from a local garden. The island is less than an hour’s flight from Nadi or Suva with boat transfers to take visitors from the airport to their resorts.

Photo: Von Wong

PACIFIC HARBOUR and BEQA LAGOON

The Beqa Lagoon is renowned for its shark encounter dives, and guests at the many resorts in Pacific Harbour and on Beqa Island can experience this adrenalin pumping activity. The shark diving sites inside Beqa Lagoon on the south coast of Viti

Levu are long established and well organised. Typically, a low coral wall separates observers from the feeding area. Dive guests are led down mooring lines behind the wall before feeding commences. On some dives the sharks are hand fed; on others fish pieces are laid out around the feeding site for the sharks to discover. Guests are treated to an eye-to-eye view of the sharks as they cruise around seeking their lunch. The experience is not for the faint hearted; divers can expect to encounter large bull and tiger sharks as well as silvertips, reef sharks and lemon and tawny nurse sharks. For conservation reasons shark dives don’t happen every day, but there are dozens of other adventurous underwater sites to explore on the 144-kilometre coral reef surrounding Beqa Lagoon.

RAKIRAKI

Two-and-a-half-hours north of Nadi by road is Rakiraki, a pocket of paradise promising pristine reefs and over 50 dive sites in the Bligh Waters and Vatu-i-Ra Passage.

The Bligh Waters are famous for their spectacular walls, brightly coloured soft corals and schooling fish. Many of the dive sites are named metaphorically: Wheatfield, topped with long, wavy soft yellow corals; Purple Haze, a wall draped in purple soft corals; and Vatu Express, a drift dive. Enjoy the reefs and cleaning stations as you glide by. At Rakiraki Ra Divers operate out of Volivoli Beach Resort catering to divers of all abilities. For beginners, an option is to explore the shallow waters surrounding the resort, while more experienced divers can head to one of the many sites in the Vatu-i-Ra passage. Most of the top locations are no more than 20 minutes by boat from Volivoli Beach.

VANUA LEVU

Fiji’s second largest island, Vanua Levu, holds two of Fiji’s best kept diving secrets: the Great Sea Reef and Namena Marine Park. The Great Sea Reef, the world’s third longest barrier reef, arcs 300 km from the top of Vanua Levu towards the tip of the Yasawa

www.divenewzealand.com 19

Diving the Bligh waters

pristine hard and soft corals. Namena Marine Park is a reef that extends 20km south into the deeper Koro Sea. It’s accessible from the Savusavu dive resorts. Namena is also on a migratory

pathway for cetaceans, so in addition to 1,000-plus species of reef fish and invertebrates, here’s where you could also see big pelagics, dolphins and four species of whale. Photos: Markus Roth

Islands. Though home to 80% of Fiji’s coral fish species, much of the Great Sea Reef is still largely unexplored. It’s the kind of place where you just dive in and see eagle rays, mantas, dolphins and turtles amidst miles and miles of

20 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

TAVEUNI

Taveuni, south-east of Vanua Levu, is Fiji’s third largest island, home to the Rainbow Reef with over 20 dive sites, and all bar one offer a riot of colour. The exception is the famous Great White Wall,

blanketed with soft white corals down as far as the eye can see. Divers can access the Rainbow Reef from most resorts along Taveuni’s eastern coast as well as from adjacent resorts on Vanua

Levu. Diving here is timed for slack water, but even then you can usually expect some current. Taveuni’s Matei Airport is served by daily flights from both Nadi and Suva.

Uprising Beach Resort presents an impressive selection of authentic, Fijian-themed accommodation. The five time Fiji Excellence in Tourism Award Winner offers 3.5 star beachfront accommodation in the heart of Fiji’s Adventure Capital, Pacific Harbour. Pacific Harbour is home to some of Fiji’s most outstanding day trips such as the Internationally Famous Shark Dive, Rivers Fiji White Water Rafting, Navua River Tubing and Tours and Jet Ski Safari’s to name a few. Only 45 minutes away from the nation’s capital, Suva, 12 Standard Bures and 12 Deluxe Villas, plus a 20 bed tree-house style shared facility ensure the choices for affordable accommodation are unlimited.

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Big sharks and ripping currents. Tahiti’s atolls excel The Tuamotos

Dave Abbott picks up Part II of his recent Tahiti adventure All photos by Dave Abbott

hough sad to leave Moorea I was excited to be jumping on a plane to Rangiroa in the Tuamoto’s, one of the world’s largest atolls and home to the famous Tiputa Pass with its ripping current and big pelagic fish.

…We started outside the pass in clear blue water dropping away into the depths, and cruised along the outside reef wall shadowed by the odd reef shark and hulking Dogtooth tuna… A short 1½ hr flight across azure blue ocean and I was looking down on a thin golden ring of land surrounding a vast lagoon - 1446 square kilometres – all

that seawater emptying and filling each day through two narrow passes, teeming with life! The first evening was spent on a deck built over the water on the edge of the pass where I was mesmerised by endless standing waves generated by wind against current, and where several large resident Bottlenose dolphins were surfing in the channel right out in front. Rangiroa’s lagoon is actually so large it has its own horizon, and since it is less than 35m deep, the currents flowing in and out the passages, when combined with

strong winds, can even create localized, interior storms…pretty astonishing!

Tiputa Pass stunning My first dive in Tiputa Pass next day was simply stunning. We started outside the pass in clear blue water dropping away to the depths, and cruised along the outside reef wall shadowed by the odd reef shark and hulking Dogtooth tuna. Loud squeaks alerted us to a couple of dolphins zooming in to check us

www.divenewzealand.com 23

Resident bottlenose

out. The resident Bottlenose can be very interactive with divers, but the strong winds on the surface were creating perfect surfing conditions in the pass for them and they were soon off out to play. The current really picked up as we reached the corner of the pass, and so did the shark numbers! Swirling around us were 30 to 40 of them, effortlessly holding position in the current dragging us rapidly into the main pass amidst a school of hovering barracuda.

Blacktip reef sharks

24 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

All this was at speed. I was turning my head back and forth, side to side, taking it all in. Midway through the pass are the ‘canyons’, coral gutters where we can duck below the current and lie

During my stay I dived this pass several times on both incoming and outgoing tides. The teeming life was a constant: the occasional Manta ray and turtle; huge Dogtooth tuna; schools of

…The current really picked up as we reached the corner of the pass, and so did the shark numbers! Swirling around us were 30 to 40 of them… in wait for passing sharks. In one of these I caught a flying glimpse of a Hammerhead on my first dive, wishing I had my rebreather to stay down longer.

barracuda; and lots of reef sharks. Almost as exciting were the boat pickups! In the weather conditions while I was on Rangiroa the timing

Keldane sets up for a photo

for the pick-ups outside the pass was critical. Not only because of the raging outgoing current but added to by the confused, large seas and waves. The Tahitian skippers handle these challenges with consummate skill and style, manoeuvring their dive boats and judging pickups between waves to the split-second.

Fakarava iconic Almost as well known as Rangiroa is another iconic dive site in French Polynesia, Fakarava. This too is large atoll with a lagoon and a pass renowned for its ‘walls of sharks’ and annual grouper spawning, an event I had attended in 2016 to film for a National Geographic documentary. I rate the Tumakohua (South) Pass at Tetamanu as one of my all-time favourite dives, one of those experiences so deeply etched in my memory. The dive starts in deep water outside the pass. You drop down to around 30m and drift into the channel on the incoming current through one ‘wall’ of sharks after another. You run

the gauntlet of three main ‘shark walls’ on the way through. (Just to be clear, ‘wall’ doesn’t refer to a topographical feature; it describes the aggregation of hundreds of sharks in tight formation.)

in Tahiti, filming Tiger sharks and free-diving with Humpback whales in the beautiful indigo-blue waters surrounding Tahiti and Moorea. Being eyeball to eyeball with large

…In between dives great snorkelling is also to be had in amongst the many Blacktip sharks that hang around the shallow reef near Tetamanu… Though we dived and filmed in the South pass on at least 15 occasions it never once began to feel normal to be amongst so many sharks! In between dives great snorkelling is also to be had in amongst the many Blacktip sharks that hang around the shallow reef near Tetamanu. And in between these marine adventures of course, as for everywhere in French Polynesia, the food is a delicious experience: fresh tuna sashimi, luscious tropical fruits, and my favourite, poisson cru, the signature local dish consisting of raw fish, citrus juice and coconut milk.

Tigers and Humpbacks The last week of my trip I spent diving with a good friend who lives

Tiger sharks is very special. Their big square heads, jet black eyes, beautiful markings and massive bulk bestow a real ‘presence’. Tigers would have to be one of my favourite sharks as they are generally calm and measured, well, at least compared to Mako’s! Most of the whales we encountered were mother and calf pairs or solo singing males. Being so close to such massive creatures was, as always, breathtaking. Few places can offer such memorable diving as French Polynesia and its 118 islands, especially if you like sharks, and warm-water diving. If you also love spectacular scenery, friendly people and great food (especially fresh tuna!) Tahiti is a wonderful place to go.

www.divenewzealand.com 25

Getting there: Air Tahiti Nui has a direct flight from Auckland to Papeete that takes about five hours.

about Air Tahiti Nui is that on top of the normal baggage allowance, you can check-in an additional dive bag up to 23kg free of charge.

My flight with Air Tahiti Nui was one of the best I have ever had amazing food, super friendly staff, and very roomy comfortable seats, which if you fly a lot you know is a big deal. One of the cool things

â&#x20AC;ŚMy flight with Air Tahiti Nui was one of the best ever amazing food, super friendly staff, and very roomy comfortable seatsâ&#x20AC;Ś

Tiger

26 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

The airline also has a partnership with Tahiti's domestic carrier Air Tahiti, and if you come in on an international flight you can get additional weight allowance on flights between islands, an awesome policy. This year is the airline's 20th anniversary and in November they will be rolling out a new fleet of B787 Dreamliners.

www.divenewzealand.com 27

Diving under ice: Learning the ropes Story and photos by Warrick Powrie

Who in their right mind would want to dive under 60 cm or more of ice?

ome might think I’m not in my right mind… But late last year I was part of an month long expedition to Antarctica to undertake scientific research on the Ross Ice Shelf as part of a collaboration with several scientific research institutes. I assisted in ice diving surface support (see Dive magazine Issue 162). I loved the thought of diving under the ice so I decided to get the right training for it. I applied and was granted a scholarship through the

Queen Elizabeth Trust to do this. Two weeks of Ice dive training lay ahead. It called for new dive gear capable of withstanding freezing temperatures: a Santi drysuit with thermals and flex 190, a Halcyon BC and an Apex MTXr extreme cold water regulator. In February this year I flew to Calgary, Canada, to undertake an ice diving course through Adventures in Scuba Calgary. I also aimed to become an instructor in this specialty so needed at least 10 dives under the ice.

Getting ready to dive inside the tent at the ice entry location

28 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Lake Minnewanka

During the summer the lake where we were to do our dives, Lake Minnewanka, just out of Banff, is beautiful. Loads of tourists flock in for the stunning views of the Rockies. During the winter it’s a mecca for skiing and other snow activities. After spending a few days acclimatizing to the winter chill (-23°C) then meeting the support crew (with a ratio for this course of 2 to1), we proceeded to head out and

Ice diving course site camp on Lake Minnewanka

set up our dive site. This was an experience in itself. The trudge through 30- 40 cm of snow to our dive location 600 metres away took loads of energy, though fortunately we had several sleds to cart the gear and equipment.

wooden slat triangle to mark out our dive hole, and a chainsaw to

A large ex-military tent was deployed against the elements if they got too bad. We used a

cut deep into the ice to sort our dive entry hole through 60 cm of ice.

â&#x20AC;ŚThe trudge through 30-40 cm of snow to our dive location 600 metres away took loads of energyâ&#x20AC;Ś

A large circle was dug into the snow around the hole about 15m out with another at 30m, then we cleared 4-8 spokes radiating like a wagon wheel from the entry hole. Such a pattern is cleared for two reasons: light illumination, and as a lost diver aid since, from below the ice you can clearly see the pattern to guide you back to the entry/exit hole if it is needed.

We're tethered together with our buddy

www.divenewzealand.com 29

We are all hooked on for safety

Gearing up

Gearing up for my very first ice dive was exciting. Balancing myself to avoid getting snow in the suit was a challenge. The coldness of the air makes everything freezing to touch, and keeping your feet warm becomes tricky once the nice warm snow boots are off. Before going in we are reminded once more of the line communication signals. A thorough briefing is conducted.

A wagon wheel carved in the ice provides a guide to the entry/exit hole

Once my buddy and I are geared up - we are first in the dive rotation - and buddy check completed, we sit on the edge of the dive hole to allow the two surface tenders do their thing; hooking on safety lines, checking all gear is attached

30 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

correctly, and of course to ensure air is on.

…Regulators have a tendency to free flow in freezing conditions. We do not check our air flow until the mouthpiece is in our mouths, and we have our heads under the water slightly while on the surface to make sure our first breath is an inhale, not an exhale… We have two standby divers waiting ready if an emergency should arise. Everything is set to go. I can feel the excitement rising in the dive tent. I feel my own excitement increasing. Or is this anxiety that I’m feeling? Loads of things are racing through my head. Regulators have a tendency to free flow in freezing conditions. We do not check our air flow until the mouthpiece is in our mouths, and we have our heads under the water slightly while on the surface

to make sure our first breath is an inhale, not an exhale. Our instructor is waiting. We give the ok signal to descend.

Cold The cold water (one degree Celsius) hits exposed skin like a sharp Antarctic blast. Lips and cheeks instantly transform into blocks of ice. The water visibility in the lake is not great, rather green, and there isn’t much fish life. We descend and check everything is ok with the equipment. What with the poor visibility and the water so cold, the idea running in my head is that I cannot just go to the surface. My stress levels rise. I even think: what the hell am I doing this for? But very soon my 30 years of normal diving experience kicks in. I tell myself to calm down, control my breathing, relax. Because we are tethered to each other as a buddy pair we cannot move far from each other. Each

diver has an allocated role within the dive. Diver A as the primary diver is in control of the dive; Diver B pretty much goes along for the ride, on a short tether from diver A. We descend to take a look at old bridge pilings where several stacks of old wood lay on the lake floor a tour location. Sediment can stir up very easily and make vis worse. We avoid getting too close to the piles.

The skills set

Some skills we undertake on this course deal with regulator free flows underwater, line communications, navigation, the lost diver scenario, and what to do if a lost diver needs rescue. After the dive, Sheila from Adventure in Scuba, is on hand to make everyone hot chocolate and really good burgers on the BBQ, with warm water provided for people to put their feet and hands in. And for any hoods or gloves they want to be toasty warm. All 10 of the other students on the course undertake a minimum of four dives each during their training days. Since I was doing the instructor rating I had to get in at least 10 dives over the two weeks. It was fantastic to get in the water while other students were running through their skills and to monitor their training. It was so much fun and I can recommend this for anyone up for the challenge. I want to thank everyone involved with my training: • • • •

ueen Elizabeth Trust (Ministry of Education) Q The University of Waikato Adventures in Scuba Calgary O verhead Adventures Tutukaka (Santi and Halcyon Dealer) • A ir New Zealand for excess baggage allowance sponsorship • Scuba Equipment Servicing Limited

Warrick Powrie is an Advanced Technical Officer for the School of Aquatic Science at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand

You can choose to have HECS technology in any of our top quality NZ made drysuits

www.oceandry.co.nz

25 Station Rd, Wellsford, Auckland

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www.divenewzealand.com 31

Hanging with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

By Nigel Marsh and Helen Rose www.nigelmarshphotography.com

Hanging out with the President is always cool, and very addictive. We know people who go back year after year just to spend time with the President. Located near Luganville, off the island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu, this President is none other than the SS President Coolidge, regularly voted amongst the top 10 shipwrecks of the world, and once you have explored this incredible, grand old relic it is easy to understand why.

32 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

uilt in 1931, the SS President Coolidge was a luxury liner with a length of 198m, 24m wide and weighing 21,936 tonnes, the biggest ship built in America at the time. After a decade carrying passengers and cargo to the Far East, but when the Americans joined the Second World War in 1941 the ship was converted to carry war supplies and troops. A year later she hit two mines entering the Luganville harbour and has sat on the sea floor ever since. All but two of the 5000 troops on board were successfully evacuated. Though partially salvaged in the 1970s there is still so much to see on this massive wreck; most divers spend a week exploring it, and many come back again and again.

Everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first dive Accessible from the shore or via boat, everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first dive on the President is a tour of the bow area following a rope down, and that first view of the ship lying on its port side is simply breathtaking. You realise just how enormous it is. After a few photos around the bow, we follow our guide to the three inch forward gun where a pile of artillery shells are stacked. In this area are also bollards, winches with time also for a quick look inside the cavernous holds one and two. From this point divers used to swim along the promenade deck, but unfortunately this area collapsed a decade ago after an earthquake. But the collapse opened up spaces below,

Helen inspects a stack of artillery shells Helen photographs the famous Lady and Unicorn in the dining room

www.divenewzealand.com 33

Our guide ready for action with a rifle and helmet left by the troops

allowing a view into bathrooms with tiles, taps, toilets and basins in place. Halfway along the massive ship, at a depth of 35m, our guide leads us back along the top, previously the starboard side where artillery rounds, helmets, rifles, portholes and other debris was left by the salvage divers. Our first dive ended all too quickly; we had barely scratched the surface of this immense ship. On subsequent dives we thoroughly

Whip corals decorate the reef wall at Nasiise Reef

34 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

explored holds one and two, looking at the trucks, jeeps, tyres, drop tanks and other equipment. We passed through seemingly endless passageways and rooms on A, B and C decks,

…We visited the dining room to see the famous Lady and Unicorn statue, with ornate light fittings, and crockery in the silt… where gasmasks, boots and bottles were littered about. We visited the Captain’s bathroom, a typewriter,

pipework and where other fittings are still in place. We visited the dining room to see the famous Lady and Unicorn statue, with ornate light fittings, and crockery in the silt. On our deepest dive we dropped into the engine room to inspect condensers, pipes, valves and the telegraph.

Depths? The President rests in depths from 20m to 70m; most diving requires deco and you need to be experienced enough to handle these depths. But with gentle currents, and warm,

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more to do in Vanuatu

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ACCOMMODATION & DIVING Big Blue Vanuatu www.bigbluevanuatu.com Coral Quays Resort www.coralquays.com Hotel Santo www.hotelsanto.com Deco Stop Lodge www.decostop.com.vu Bokissa Eco Island Resort www.bokissa.vu Aore Island Resort www.aoreresort.com Santo Island Dive www.santodive.com Allan Power Dive Tours www.allan-power-santo.com Aquamarine www.aquamarinesanto.com

The first view of the SS President Coolidge is the bow of the massive ship

usually clear water (15m to 30m vis) the diving is not as difficult as it may sound. The wreck is also a beautiful artificial reef covered in corals and home to invertebrates, reef fish, pelagic fish, moray eels, gropers and reef sharks. And the deco stops are never boring in the coral gardens where octopus, nudibranchs, moray eels, reef fish and the occasional dugong can be seen.

â&#x20AC;Śthe deco stops are never boring in the coral gardens where octopus, nudibranchs, moray eels, reef fish and the occasional dugong can be seenâ&#x20AC;Ś

Over the years the guides have collected bottles and put them on display for divers

Three more wrecks While the SS President Coolidge lures most divers to Espiritu Santo, the area has much more to offer. Two further wrecks, the tug Tui Tuate, and the Henri Bonneaud, a former island trader, and a highlight for us, the USS Tucker, a 104m long destroyer, that sank two months before the President when she too hit a mine. The ship is very broken up in depths from 15m to 20m, but is a fascinating dive.

Million Dollar Point Another impressive shore dive is Million Dollar Point, where the US military dumped trucks, cranes

36 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Helen explores the USS Tucker

The crystal clear waters of the Blue Holes are a great spot to swim and snorkel.

and other equipment at the end of the war rather than let the locals have them. The piles of rusting equipment are found from the shore line to 40m, and always interesting. Espiritu Santo and its surrounding islands are also fringed by coral reefs that are well worth a look. We only had time for one reef dive at Nasiise Reef, but wished for more; the corals are just wonderful, especially the extensive gardens of hard corals. There weren’t many pelagic fish, but reef fish were abundant along with turtles, garden eels and an eagle ray.

Crystal freshwater Espiritu Santo is also dotted with numerous crystal clear freshwater lakes and rivers. The closest to Luganville is the Blue Holes, a popular swimming spot reaching 18m. Topside attractions are plentiful as well. We did a half day World War II tour with Butterfly Adventure Tours visiting old runways and the remains of a crashed B17 bomber. And the daily market is always great. A visit to the SS President Coolidge is indeed a presidential experience. You will never forget it.

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 37

SOUNDINGS NEWS

Emperor penguin foraging behaviour under investigation

ew Zealand marine ecologist Dr Kim Goetz and her collaborators at the National Institute of Water and Atmosphere (NIWA) have made some surprising discoveries about the previously unknown diving and long-distance swimming abilities of emperor penguins outside the breeding season.

Dr Goetz’s recent project tagged 20 emperor penguins in 2013 and analysed data on their movements transmitted via satellite. She discovered the penguins travelled between 273km and nearly 9000km and completed dives of between one and 32.2 mins exceeding their previous recorded dive record of 27.6 minutes. But finding the penguins in the first place was the most intriguing. To the researcher’s surprise some adult emperor penguins had stayed at Cape Colbeck after most had left and their transmitted data about their foraging behaviour revealed these penguins were not breeding birds. “If they were breeders they would have returned to the breeding ground by early June but they didn’t. They kept foraging because they had no reason to go back,” Dr Goetz said. This gave Dr Goetz and her team the opportunity to gather a lot of information about a demographic group that they hadn’t intended to study.

birds leave the breeding colonies in mid-December to mid-January to prepare for the moult. During the moult they must remain out of the water while they replace all their feathers. Initially the penguins, which are thought to be visual predators, travelled a short distance where researchers think they were feeding on Antarctic krill on the Ross Shelf. Then they headed into deeper waters. “What we found is that there were distinct differences in the way the penguins dive depending on the depth of the water they are foraging in,” Dr Goetz said. On the Antarctic continental shelf, the dives were shorter and shallower, while further out to sea the penguins dove deeper and for longer periods of time. “On the shelf, the shorter dives suggest they are foraging for krill, while in the deeper ocean it is likely to be fish.”

On average, penguins dove 90.2m but did occasionally dive as deep as 450m. More than 96,000 dives were recorded and most tags remaining attached for at least six months. Dr Goetz says further research is needed to determine whether this behaviour is normal or a result of changing sea ice conditions. “The study showed the animals go far further than we thought and this has a number of implications for their survival. That’s why understanding their entire life cycle, especially when birds are not restrained by chick-rearing duties, is critical to predicting how emperor penguins might respond to environmental changes.” Dr Goetz returns to the ice later this year as part of a multi-disciplinary project that includes tracking the movement of emperor penguins and Weddell seals.

Photo: Kim Goetz

Little is known about emperor penguin behaviour after adult

Photo: Patrick Robinson

Emperor penguins are found only in Antarctica and are the tallest and heaviest penguins growing up to 122cm high and weighing in at between 22 and 45kg.

38 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

SOUNDINGS NEWS

Marine Reserve a snapper nursery R

esearch has found a higher proportion of young snapper north of Auckland are related to adult snapper from the Goat Island Marine Reserve at Leigh than from elsewhere confirming what scientists have long suspected: the reserve acts as a giant snapper nursery.

simply proportional to geographic area,” Professor Montgomery said.

The study from the University of Auckland’s Institute of Marine Science is the first time evidence has been found of a direct parental link between adults in a marine protected area and juveniles outside.

An area of 400 square kilometres was included in the study, from Mangawhai in the north to Mahurangi in the south. Goat Island Marine Reserve makes up just 1.3% of the area studied, where fishing is strictly prohibited.

Led by Professor John Montgomery, Dr Shane Lavery, and former University of Auckland postdoctoral fellow Dr Agnès Le Port, the research team used a combination of genetic testing and hydrodynamic modelling of snapper larvae.

Photo: Paul Caiger “This is the first estimate of the larval contribution of adult within the reserve for our data to snapper from the reserve into the show a direct and significant link surrounding fishery and shows between the adults in the reserve that even though the reserve and the juveniles many kilometres is a tiny percentage of the area away.” studied, it is more than pulling its

Agnès Le Port injecting a monitoring tag into a snapper

…“They found over 11% of juvenile snapper up to 40km away were the offspring of spawning adults from the marine reserve… about 10 times higher than would be expected if snapper larval contribution was simply proportional to geographic area… (The reserve makes up just 1.3% of the area studied) … They found over 11% of juvenile snapper up to 40km away were the offspring of spawning adults from the marine reserve. They found no offspring match of adult snapper sampled from non-reserve areas. “The contribution from the reserve is about 10 times higher than would be expected if snapper larval contribution was

weight in contributing to snapper populations outside.” Previous research has shown that while snapper move over a wide area, resident snapper within the reserve tend to stay put for some time, forming a significant breeding population of large individuals. “Enough of them stick around

For the research, adult snapper within the reserve were caught, tagged and a fin clip sample taken before being returned to the water. The same technique was then used in non-reserve areas. “Hydrodynamic computer modelling uses our understanding of tidal currents and wind patterns to predict where snapper larvae end up. The agreement between predicted dispersal and the genetic matches helps validate the modelling and its potential use in the design of future marine protected areas.” The findings are published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

Green Light or Light Green? The Government’s environmental reforms

he New Zealand Environmental Defence Society is hosting a major conference on 1-2 August to debate the hot topic: What will the boost to funding for the Department of Conservation mean for predator control, biodiversity,

visitor management and the like? The government has signalled the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary is to be resolved and a blue whale sanctuary created off Taranaki. And an independent review of

the Quota Management System is promised. But will the policies deliver what is needed? For more go to: www.edsconference.com

www.divenewzealand.com 39

Scotland’s ‘prehistoric’ Basking Sharks inspire awe Story and images by Tony Burt

Arinagour, Coll Island

e sat perched on the side of Shane’s Redbay `Cearban` dive boat staring in awe at the metre high dorsal fin closing in. Then, on the skipper’s command we slipped quietly into the 13 degree water. Out of the plankton filled gloom heading straight towards us came this enormous swimming mouth. We were off the three billion year old Island of Coll in Scotland’s Hebrides. Once the haunt of Vikings now there are just 200 hardy Scots, 50 ways to prepare haggis, lots of Grey Seals, a few `hairy coos,` and Shane and Nicky Wasik of `Basking Sharks Scotland`. Ian Sherwood and I had met up with my daughter Rachel in London, headed to Glasgow, took the three hour train journey through the Scottish highlands to the picturesque fishing village of Oban, and caught the ferry to Coll.

40 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

This was my second visit, and though early in the summer season, local fisherman had spotted sharks. So with high hopes we had set out on a glassy sea. Not a shark fin was seen but the marine life was prolific. A swim with the seals was great fun and so was cruising with dolphins, porpoise, orca and minke whales as well as the prolific bird life. This was a rich playground.

the sheltered harbor looking for otters.

…Day Three turned out to be `Super Tuesday`. One right from the brochure. The breeze had died under five knots… I counted 12 sharks before panic set in…

And what an encounter! This nine metre gentle giant came right up, gently brushing me with a tail on the fly by before circling and coming in for another macro. Then opening that huge mouth before returning to work the tide line, sifting huge quantities of plankton. Such a prehistoric creature!

Accommodation is a comfortable rented holiday home in the village of Arinagour: one cafe, one store and one hotel full of friendly Scots, good food (haggis wontons) and good beer. In the evenings we strolled around

Day One and our first shark was located in Gunner Straight, the channel between Tyree Island and Coll. With four metre tides the current here can fair rip through and even at mid tide it was just too fast to get in the water. It was not til mid-afternoon we had our first swim.

Day Two and we swam with three more sharks. On board were some serious photographers and everyone

Basking Shark

was after that `mouth wide open` shot. But the vis was only about eight metres and with all the food in the water the sharks would often clam up before coming into focus. That, and perhaps too many excited diver photographers thrashing into position. Day Three turned out to be `Super Tuesday`. One right from the brochure. The breeze had died under five knots, and the plankton rose to the surface. At Gunner I counted 12 sharks before panic set in amidst the rush to soap myself into a wetsuit. Eight snorkelers on board so four in

the water at any one time. Mostly you would only get the one pass, so five to ten minutes wet then reposition upstream for the B team.

…The smaller sharks, five metres or so, seemed easy to spook but the XXL models were inquisitive… I have numerous photos of their eyes! Shane was very careful not to harass any one critter too long, but it was no hardship to find another. At one stage I slipped into the briny to find myself with three lined up.

The smaller sharks, five metres or so, seemed easy to spook but the XXL models didn’t give a rat’s wrinkle. They were inquisitive. I have numerous photos of their eyes! With the weather looking fairly ordinary for the next three days, the call was to head back in at 5pm, grab a haggis burger and head for some `Puffin therapy` on the nearby island of Lunga. This was now the end of the breeding season and in one more week both Puffins and pufflings would be heading out into the Atlantic. The odd one would fly in with beaks stuffed with sand eels

Anemones at Coll

'Caerban' the diveboat

www.divenewzealand.com 41

Tony Burt on the island of Coll populated by thousands of Fulmars and Guillemots with their fluffy chicks covering every available nook and cranny and dart down their burrows leaving little time to snap a photo. A five minute walk brought us to another breeding colony. Thousands of Fulmars and Guillemots with their fluffy chicks covering every available piece of real estate. And aggressive Skua prowling for an opportune meal. The weather gods intervened the

next day and that was the end of basking sharks for us. But there are other attractions. The remarkable Island or Staffa with its famous Fingals cave, too rough to snorkel this time. Tobermoray with its fine single malt castles dotting the landscape, and a search for the huge White Tail Eagle...

area, a spectacular dive with gardens of anemones covering most surfaces and the dreaded Fan Worm in darker recesses. We were well looked after by Shane and his team, including the walking encyclopedia that is Luke. I feel the need to return. Maybe a Basking Shark selfie next time!

Our adventure was topped off with a look at one of many wrecks in the

A puffin brings home a meal for her chicks

Whale Shark wide open mouthed

42 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

COOK ISLANDS

Exploring the Cook Islands cave diving treasures

Story by Bruce Clulow Photos: Richard Harris The genesis to this cave diving project began in 2012 when I read an old Dive New Zealand magazine an article written by David Goldie and Paul Tobin, two cave divers from Australia, who had explored a number of caves in the Cook Islands in 1998. It had my immediate interest as I had lived in the Cook Islands in the 1990s and now devote my spare time to cave diving exploration.

www.divenewzealand.com 43

Exploring the dream

contacted David Goldie and he passed on what information he still had about the caves there. I was primarily interested in whether there would be enough new cave potential to warrant an exploration expedition. David’s description of the cave systems and my own experiences in these islands indicated there could be unexplored caves to be found: a cave diver’s dream! With this in mind I made three solo exploration trips in 2016 to two different islands in the Southern Cook Islands where low lying coral islands are riddled with cave systems, some small, some large.

Tourism Board to joint fund an expedition to explore the potential of these islands as a cave diving destination. It was accepted and I began planning the expedition.

They provided some fantastic diving, equal to anything I had experienced in Mexico, New Zealand and Australia, albeit with some serious logistical issues to overcome.

First I called together the cave diving team I am part of, the “Karst Monkeys,” which consists of very experienced Australian cave divers and myself, the token Kiwi. Primarily we have been exploring the Nullarbor caves of Western Australia and specialise in using sidemount rebreathers to explore caves with very long and restricted passages.

…Fantastic diving, equal to anything I had experienced in Mexico, New Zealand and Australia, albeit with some serious logistical issues to overcome… The islands are remote with tiny populations - less than 400 people per island - no dive shops, compressors, gear… But I was very lucky to have the support of the local airline, Air Rarotonga, which flew my portable compressor, cylinders and gear out and back for free when they had space available on their cargo flights. The solo trips convinced me there could be an opportunity to develop cave diving tourism here in the future, with an obvious economic benefit to these tiny communities.

The proposal Armed with video footage I had taken on my two trips, I put together a proposal for the Cook Islands

44 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Gathering up the team

Three fellow team members jumped at the opportunity; Paul Hosie, Grant Pearce and Rod O’Brien. Between them they have logged 6000 cave dives, and they offered other highly relevant skills; Grant is a geologist, Paul is experienced in collecting and identifying cave adapted creatures, and Rod is a commercial diver.

Getting there After several months planning and organising we arrived in Rarotonga in April last year. Two days later we were on a charter flight out to our first island, Ma’uke. Our plan involved spending one week on each of three islands I had identified with potential. Accompanying us were two fellow divers, Franz Ombler and John McMullan, who also jumped at the opportunity to dive and holiday in these remote places, and they were

to spend the first week with us, selffunded.

…Vai Tango has some of the most impressive speleothem formations I have seen, and also a huge chamber of 40 to 65 metres depth… The first day on each island was to meet the local island council and community to explain what we were trying to achieve, and to ensure we adhered to cultural protocols. As I had already spent time living in the Cook Islands and visiting these islands we were welcomed without reservation and given unrestricted access to all caves, with guides along to accompany us at certain sacred sites. Franz’s knowledge of Te Reo Maori was also a great asset when preparing presentations for local communities.

Grading, surveying, guidelines and markers The exploration was extremely hard work but very satisfying. We graded all the cave systems on their suitability for potential cave diving tourism, and we surveyed and installed permanent guidelines and markers in suitable caves. Some incredible caves were graded as not suitable due to safety concerns, remoteness or access problems. Some diving highlights included Vai Tango cave on Ma’uke Island which we dived to a depth of 86 metres

utilising Trimix gas and rebreathers. Vai Tango has some of the most impressive speleothem formations I have seen, and also a huge chamber from 40 metres to 65 metres depth.

Vai Nauri cave on Mitiaro Island was spectacular. There we explored, mapped and installed guidelines in over 1200 metres of passage, and identified a species of shrimp not previously known to exist in the

Cook Islands. A highlight was the friendliness of the local communities and their interest in what we were doing. We established lifelong friend-

www.divenewzealand.com 45

ships there, assuring them of our dedication to cave conservation and safety. An aim of the project was to impress upon the local communities the need to conserve these underwater environments, and to prevent unqualified divers from access.

â&#x20AC;ŚVai Nauri cave on Mitiaro Island was spectacular. There we explored, mapped and installed guidelines in over 1200 metres of passageâ&#x20AC;Ś

Going back for more The three weeks on the three islands flew by and despite 16 hour days we only got to about half the potential sites on each island. By the time we returned to Rarotonga we were confident there was indeed potential for cave diving tourism though more sites needed to be identified to make visiting the islands worthwhile. So another trip was organised for September 2017 to complete the exploration work and take some high quality photos and video. Paul Hosie and myself returned along with three of the Wet Mules cave diving team, Craig Challen, Richard Harris and Ken Smith. The Wet Mules are best known for their exploration efforts in the Pearce Resurgence near Nelson. Together we finished exploring and assessing remaining cave sites.

Showcase The accompanying photos on these pages showcase some of what we found, and we are returning in September this year to explore another island for further potential sites. We hope supported cave diving expeditions will become available in the near future so suitably qualified cave divers can experience these beautiful places, and the wonderful culture of the Cook Islands. I would like to thank the Cook Islands Tourism Board, Air Rarotonga and the people of the Cook Islands for their assistance with this ongoing project.

46 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

www.divenewzealand.com 47

(Satire by Roland Hanewald)

nce again it was Traffic Policeman Glommer who caused an incident on the reef of Gran Malaria. Twenty metres down something had pinched him. The gendarme’s calf featured a painfully reddened wound whose torments the dapper guardian of the law manly endured by clenching his teeth. So manly that his mouthpiece was permanently ruined, (which later caused the shopkeeper to voice savage demands for damages). Quite a bloke he was, this Officer Glommer, and what strong teeth!

“The affected limb must be subjected to high temperatures to neutralise the venom.” He points out to the jittering Glommer. “That’s what the textbooks say. You must now be very brave, old boy,” Blubb cheerfully adds.

“In a few minutes his, er, glands will be swollen to grapefruit size. An over-reaction of the immune system. The swimming trunks will have to go, or something else will. Scissors!” And, snip, Glommer’s swimwear drops on the white-glowing gridiron

By a happy coincidence, a barbeque is taking place on the camp ground. In no time flat the hot dogs and hamburgers are put to one side to make way for the copper’s leg. Everyone gives a hand. Oh, they are stout chaps, these men! Three of them seize the writhing Glommer, another two turn him over. A practical joker coats the leg with barbeque sauce, and a further helper, remembering Glommer had stuck

at the same time of his, er, glands. “Ahhhhhhhhrrrrgh!”

But let us remain, for the sake of enriching our personal treasury of knowledge, on the actual sequence of these events. How easily can a fateful chain reaction occur in the sport of diving!

“The swimming trunks will have to go, or something else will. Scissors!” Without a mouthpiece Officer Glommer naturally found breathing exceedingly difficult, and he had pulled the rip cord for an emergency ascent. He was exceptionally lucky his buddy happened to be an internationally renowned marine biologist, Dr Morebread PhD, who with his moaning victim in tow, made for the beach where he inspected the wound, and arrived at the following diagnosis: “Synanceja verrucosa, vulgo stonefish! In awhile inhuman pains will set in. You must now be very brave, my dear fellow, and clench your teeth. According to the statistics you are likely to die!” Attracted by the turmoil, Divemaster Blubb rushes to the scene. Dr. Morebread hurriedly briefs him. Blubb pales, but quickly takes hold of himself. He’s an old hand. “Instant heat treatment,” he orders.

48 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

“Pull yourself together, man! What will the natives think!” him with a traffic ticket back home, busily adds charcoal. “We must be very brave now,” he encourages the patient with a sardonic grin. Soon the grill assumes a red-hot colour; shortly the leg will be brown and crispy. The camp doctor arrives. “Ah, stonefish,“ he mutters knowingly.

“Pull yourself together, man!” Dr. Schittrich, of Berlin, Germany, hisses furiously. “What will the natives think!” Suffice to say everything ends happily. Repatriated by a rescue flight, Glommer finds himself in a comfortable hospital bed reflecting on what had happened. Twenty metres down. Touching the coral with his bare leg. It itches and he scratches. Saltwater enters. It hurts. “Nuuuurrrse!“ After the successful treatment of his extensive burns, Traffic Policeman Glommer was able to leave the hospital. With no after-effects. As per airmailed greetings he is again diving at Gran Malaria. But not in the company of an internationally renowned marine biologist.

BACK IN THE DAY Extract from Dive South Pacific Underwater Magazine Edited and published by Wade Doak. Volume 10. Number 4. 1996

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

n the occasion of the Royal visit to Napier New Zealand, the Napier Police were informed of a possible attempt by the Progressive Youth Movement to blow up or damage by bomb, the Royal Yacht Britannia, whilst she was berthed at the Napier wharves. As a consequence the Senior Sergeant responsible, himself an ex-Hastings diver, rang around and hired six divers, members of Black Water Gropers club, to conduct a bomb search beneath the wharf and in the berthage area just prior to the Britannia’s arrival. Early on a Saturday morning the six divers assembled on the wharf along with the Senior Sergeant and one Constable who were to act as boatmen. We suited up in the usual chaotic and disorganised manner of all divers and prepared our substantial stockpile of tanks (air that is!). A Harbour Board tug was our dive boat and two small dinghies to be rowed by the surface Fuzz (police), who as well as tending divers, were to search the above water, wharf piles. I would mention here that the pay negotiated was to be reckoned by the number of 72 cu. ft. tanks used. Of course, this played right into the hands of the unscrupulous “Royal Divers” one Mike Robertshawe announcing in very official tones that he would conduct tanks checks: turning on the valve and watching the pressure drop from 2200 lbs to 1700 over a very quick period, then making desperate efforts to enter the water quickly with his depleted tank of air. Many purge buttons were being pressed; valves sticking on and all in all a lot of compressed air being hissed off – which our Senior Sergeant wasn’t doing! – being an old diver and a good bloke, he preferred to row away out of earshot to await our start patiently. The water alongside the wharf piles is about thirty feet deep, deepening to forty feet where

By Peter Asher

the ships berth. Our plan was to split up so that some divers could clear the piles and the rest search the berthage trench. The visibility was so bad (even for Black Water Gropers) that his plan was abandoned, and we set about a fairly random method. Visibility three feet down was about two feet and on the bottom nil. A 1000 candlepower light penetrated six inches at twenty feet and two to three inches on the bottom.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, step ashore from the Royal Yacht Britannia at the Port of Napier. March 1963.

We would have been extremely surprised had we located a truckload of bombs, let alone some individual bomb type object. One diver, Doug Franklin, trudging along through the mud observed a third hand creeping slowly beneath his own hands and on pouncing upon it, shook hands with another equally invisible tentative diver! Needless to say we diligently swam, peered and used up air, surfacing now and then to find the wharf, fiddled with purge buttons and executed deep breathing exercises. After two tanks each and much unnecessary exertion we gave our Senior Sergeant the “All Clear” and withdrew from the sinister depths to dress and watch the arrival of the R.Y. Britannia.

protect the fibreglass sheathing of the hull and although really not worried, felt a little insecure in the knowledge that a serious attempt to damage the ship could not have been prevented in the murky waters. We cheered up our Policeman somewhat by suggesting that if the Royal Yacht did blow up during the day, we wouldn’t present the Police with our bill. This he emphatically agreed would be a bloody good move! However that evening, as we observed the Britannia ablaze with lights making her way to the horizon safe and sound, a feeling of great achievement and satisfaction swept over us at a job well done and we are now investigating the addition of a “By Appointment to H.M. the Queen” prefix to our club monogram!!

Six wary and up until now, fairly sceptical divers watched the slow berthing and positioning of the hardwood buffers at the waterline to

www.divenewzealand.com 49

pearos notebook

Autumn diving at Little Barrier the best

Jackson started spearfishing at the age of five and speared his first Kingfish the same year. He began competitive spearfishing at 7 years old winning many age grade titles at the NZ Spearfishing Nationals before progressing through to open grade where he has finished in the top three many times. He represented New Zealand in international competitions for the past seven years. But he says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I most enjoy is going out spearfishing in my home waters in the Hauraki Gulf spearing fish for dinner

With Jackson Shields

utumn is prime time on the spearfishing calendar. The water reaches optimum temperatures and fish become more abundant in the shallows. In fact March and April are my favourite months of the year providing great diving and a variety of species. So on a crisp April day I found myself heading out to Little Barrier Island which has unique underwater structures and diverse fish life. Little Barrier offers the full range of spearfishing hunting grounds: pinnacles for targeting pelagic species like kingfish; shallow rocky outcrops for snapper and butterfish; and then there are clean defined weed-edges. A weed-edge is the meeting point between the kelp and the sand,

Archie Molloy with a couple of nice Porae

50 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

effectively a reef edge. These vary from three metres to over 30 metres around Little Barrier with all depths being productive depending on current and time of year. Once at our destination we were met with average conditions with visibility of five to eight metres. I opted to swim along the coast and get the boat to pick me up. I set up my float boat with a short float line and drop weight attached since I was using a reel gun. A float boat is a useful tool, especially during the warmer months and bigger swims, as it is now common to have Bronze Whalers steal your fish. The

Boarfish

float boat also allows me to be easily seen in high boat traffic. I know of a gutter here in the shallows where good snapper often reside. But I was breaking every rule of snapper snooping; swimming into the sun, and with the current, making it difficult to see and placing myself in plain view of on-coming fish. And coming into the gutter I overestimated my ability and found myself peering into the shadows as it was too difficult to distinguish any Continued page 51

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Continued from page 49

Snapper

An hour of swimming had paid off. And it had brought the attention of a school of snapper. I sifted through them as they ducked for cover behind a rock on the sand. Fortunately the sun was now at my back and made for an easy approach. While bleeding and gutting a fish to improve eating quality, another snapper began feeding on the guts. A quiet duck dive followed by a snapshot doubled my snapper tally in the float boat. fish on the bottom. It turned out there was a nice snapper right in front of my face but it made an easy retreat. After two more failed attempts on smaller fish I changed tactics. I worked my way into a bay which gave a better angle with the sun. I have never dived in this bay before as it appears to catch no current and has a one-dimensional bottom. As I moved into it drummer engulfed me, a good sign, as they will reside in amongst boulders. Behind the drummers in the distance I spotted a decent size fish lift off the sand. It had the distinctive movement of a Boarfish. Closing the gap I anticipated her direction and as she took off I let fire with my 110cm Carbon speargun. A good mid-body shot did the job; their tough skin makes it difficult to tear off.

Just as I reloaded my gun another snapper darted below, bigger than the first two, and excited by all the commotion and not that worried by my presence. With snapper it’s important to make a slow approach with minimal kicking.

…There’s the common misconception that the deeper you go and the longer you hold your breath the more fish you will get… opportunities can be found right in the shallows… In the open, as this was, they can often be very difficult to approach before they spook. But anticipating their movements can sometimes provide a small window for a shot. Luckily I was shooting well (for a change) and managed a long shot down through the back. Soon afterwards the boat picked me up and

I was happy with my few snapper and the Boarfish.

John Dory

The next destination was a weed edge on a protruding peninsula that catches plenty of current, and an area where we target Boarfish, John Dory and Tarakihi. As well it’s not uncommon to have big kingfish make an appearance. In the water it was important to work up current and find the bait schools that often correlate with structures on the bottom. Where you find the small fish there will be big fish; it’s a simple recipe. There is also the common misconception that the deeper you go and the longer you hold your breath the more fish you will get. This is not the case; opportunities can be found right in the shallows. It wasn’t long til a big school of Sweep and Demoiselles rose in the water column. Since it was not clear enough to see the bottom I made a dive to inspect, and once there, scanned the weed clumps. As I lifted off I saw the familiar sight of a fluttering John Dory racing for cover. Though losing sight of it I followed along its track until a structure came in sight. Another dive to the bottom in about 20 metres and sure enough old mate John Dory was doing his best impression of a piece of kelp. When spotted they often make an easy target. A simple shot had her join me on a trip to the surface.

Tarakihi

On the very next dive I managed another John Dory, which left the final piece of the puzzle, to go after a Tarakihi, one of my favourite eating fish. I knew of a rock further along the weed-edge where they typically hang out. The kelp in this area is a little different with good shelter for the marine life, and navigating the bottom is important to locate the same spot again. Soon enough though I hit the spot, and a curious Tarakihi glided in amongst the dopey Porae, an easy fish to spear once you have found it. It’s always great to go home with a variety of species for a broad range of meal options and flavours.

52 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Nanuk cases designed to survive

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Keen Aussie fisher flies in and wins $200,000 boat show prize New Projecta emergency jump starters now use Lithium Iron technology to deliver more charge and better safety and reliability and represents eight times more starting power than equivalent jump starters with lead acid components. They also hold their charge longer. Operating at 12V they are suitable for most marine batteries as well as motorcycle, passenger car, four-wheel-drive and light commercial vehicles, can crank out enough power to start a 3.2 litre diesel or a 6 litre petrol engine, with a more powerful option also available. Surtees’ Adam Dyck, lucky Grand Prize winner Jonathan Couronne and Yamaha Marine NZ’s Matt Walton-Smith in front of Jonathan’s new Surtees 750 Game Fisher.

They are also useful as power banks for charging mobile phones, tablets, SatNav systems and lighting at camp sites. Recharging is via 240V and 12V cigarette lighter plug chargers.

www.divenewzealand.com 53

GEARBAG

TTL Housing for Panasonic Lumix GX9 Mirrorless Micro Four-Thirds Cameras

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 is a compact interchangeable lens camera. Customizable controls, a TTL flash hotshoe, and in-body 5-axis image stabilization making it a good choice for underwater use. The GX9 features a 20MP CMOS sensor, 4K/UHD video • Integrated fine-tuned TTL circuit • TTL circuit is powered by the strobe for zero maintenance • Two ports for fibre optic cords for strobes triggered by optic cable • The optical grade acrylic dome allows for fitting different lens to the camera • Glass flat ports are available for macro lenses. • The DLM port system is designed to be tough enough for heavy surf • Spare accessory port for installation of optional Vacuum Kit • Depth rated: 60m • Note: Lens port sold separately Depth rated to: 60m Price: $1590.00

Fantasea Radiant Video lights The Radiant 2500 and the Radiant 2500 Pro Video Light are both durable and powerful video lights, designed to significantly enhance colour and light in underwater when taking videos and still images Price Radiant 2500: $655.00 Price Radiant 2500 Pro: $775.00

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54 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Visit www.seatech.co.nz for information and specifications. Available from your professional dive store. Trade enquiries welcome.

GEARBAG Personal Locator Beacon and EPIRB claims 40,000 lives saved worldwide. Introducing one of the world's smallest and lightest PLB! ResQLink offers more power output than larger models. Ideal for canoeing, camping, hunting, kayaking or mountain climbing. The ResQLink Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) weighs just 130 gms, less than a couple of energy bars, and is smaller than a cell phone. A built-in strobe light provides visibility during night rescues. Plus, if you use it, ACR will replace it free of charge. Simply submit your story to the ACR Survivor Club, send it back, and a new beacon of equal or greater value will be sent to you. ACR have teamed up with Torpedo7 to make a special offer. Buy a ACR ResQlink Personal Locator Beacon either instore or online and you will get a Ratchet Camelbak Hydration Backpack worth $149.99 for free (see T&C’s online).

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More charge for emergency jump starters New Projecta emergency jump starters now use Lithium Iron technology to deliver more charge and better safety and reliability and represents eight times more starting power than equivalent jump starters with lead acid components. They also hold their charge longer. Operating at 12V they are suitable for most marine batteries as well as motorcycle, passenger car, four-wheel-drive and light commercial vehicles, can crank out enough power to start a 3.2 litre diesel or a 6 litre petrol engine, with a more powerful option also available. They are also useful as power banks for charging mobile phones, tablets, SatNav systems and lighting at camp sites. Recharging is via 240V and 12V cigarette lighter plug chargers.

The new high-performance NARVA Projecta Lithium Emergency Jump Starters now available.

www.projecta.com.au

Capsized vessel’s Salvation shows value of float-free EPIRBs Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand organised the rescue of four lucky fishermen whose catamaran CFV Salvation capsized at 3 am on April 25th in large swells, 25 nautical miles North East of American Samoa.

the location. A Police Patrol Boat from Pago Pago on a training programme was on the scene in 45 minutes. They found the people in the water and returned them safely to land. All four are in good health.

The four people on board perched on the 10m fishing vessel’s upturned hull and huddled together in the cold until daybreak. In the morning light, the catamaran's owner swam under the capsized vessel, retrieved its EPIRB locator beacon and set it off.

“Boat owners should consider a float-free EPIRB. They detach when boats sink and alert rescuers to your location,” said Search and Rescue Officer Drew Coleman.

Rescue Coordination Centre NZ received the beacon alert from the vessel at 0700 and directed local rescue services to

Rescue Coordination Centre NZ is responsible for a search and rescue region which covers 30 million square km stretching from Antarctica almost to the equator.

www.divenewzealand.com 55

SPECIESFOCUS

Estuarine Clingfish ~Trachelochismus aestuarium

By Paul Caiger

Clingfishes are a remarkable family of cryptic fishes found worldwide. They are small, flattened, and possess a sucking disc, a modification of their pelvic fins, on the underside with which to cling on to things. Together, these features give a fairly good clue of where to find them - hiding in small and hard to access places, and where tide or currents require their ability to hang on. This usually means shallow marine environments. And in the case of the estuarine species, this of course includes estuaries. The estuarine clingfish is a newly discovered species. It was only scientifically described last year, bringing the total number of endemic clingfishes in New Zealand to 14. This clingfish is found coastally New Zealand-wide, but particularly in shallow, sheltered bays and in any of the northeastern estuaries. An empty cockle or mussel shell is a suitable hiding place. In fact, this species is found further up New Zealand estuaries, more than three kms, than any other clingfish species worldwide. This clingfish lays its nest on the underside of a rock or empty shell, where eggs from multiple females may be laid. The male will then assume parental control, guarding them until they hatch one to two

weeks later. Aeration is also vital due to them often living in sandy or silty environments. While this species is known to be found down to as deep as 29 metres, it is far more common to be found in the upper three to four metres. Because of this, and as tides can be three metres high, clingfishes can endure periods between tides out of water. But in order to do so they must at least seek refuge in a damp rock or

clump of algae to prevent completely desiccating in the sun, and where they secrete a layer of mucous to keep their gills moist. Though very small in size at 20-40 mm, and living only a few short years, the estuarine clingfish is an exciting new addition to the crypto-benthic fishes in New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waters, and a boon to rockpoolers, fish seekers and macro divers alike.

Estuarine Clingfish ~Trachelochismus aestuarium ne of two clingfish species newly described 1 Owithin the last year in New Zealand.

ay hundreds of eggs on the underside of shells 5 Land rocks.

he sucking disc on the underside is typical of 2 Tthis family.

kelp-living clingfishes, this fish will guard 6 Uthenlike nests and aerate them until hatching.

an be found in brackish waters over three km up 7 By secreting a mucous, it can withstand periods 3 Cestuaries. of being out of water. an quickly change its body colouration to 4 Cmatch the background. 56 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

rom the Latin aestuarium, a tidal inlet of the 8 Fsea.

INCIDENT INSIGHTS By DAN Asia-Pacific

WITH THE DIVERS ALERT NETWORK (DANAP]

An unrecognised case of skin DCS resolves spontaneously By DAN's Petar Denoble, M.D., D.Sc A post-dive itch or change in the colour or texture of your skin, such as a rash or a marbled appearance, may be decompression-related. Skin manifestations of decompression sickness (DCS), also known as cutaneous DCS, are more common than you might think. Divers often mistake cutaneous DCS for a rash due to another cause, such as contact with marine life or an allergic reaction, or they may just ignore such symptoms. Though cutaneous DCS is usually a mild and self-limiting disease, disregarding it can sometimes lead to more severe manifestations of decompression sickness.

58-year-old female (5'10" tall, 75kg) was on a dive holiday. She dived multiple dives each day for six consecutive days. The maximum depth of her dives did not exceed 24m. On the fourth day of diving, she noticed a rash on her torso. She was unsure of the cause and reported taking medication for "inflammation" with no improvement noted. She continued to dive and noticed the "rash" improved while underwater. The torso discolouration then resolved after her last dive (day six) and prior to her flight home. She reported no issues on the flight home. After returning home, she did an Internet search for "blotchy skin rash after diving" and noticed skin bends as a top hit. At that point she contacted DAN and was directed to a referral physician. On examination, two days after her return home and three days after her last dive, she was completely asymptomatic and had no physical findings to report. She is intact neurologically with no pertinent findings to report.

Comments Skin manifestations of decompression sickness (DCS) are not uncommon, but many divers are not aware of it. Skin manifestations alone may not require treatment, but they require medical evaluation to exclude possible neurological symptoms of which the diver may not be aware. Skin DCS is sometimes associated with difficulty breathing and coughing, which is called "chokes." In such cases it is very likely that neurological symptoms are present. Neurological symptoms may be present without chokes, too. First aid surface oxygen should be administered in case of chokes and neurological symptoms while the patient is being transported to an emergency room. In this case, the woman’s symptoms resolved spontaneously. However, it is not advisable to continue diving with a skin rash; rather the diver should be evaluated by a physician. Take home message: A skin rash post diving should not be ignored.

First Aid

In all cases call the DAN Diving Emergency Hotline promptly for advice.

Need more information?

Send DAN AP an email (info@danap.org) or call 1800 088 200 (within Australia) +61 8 8212 9242 (outside Australia) Not yet a DAN member? Join at danap.org Engage with DAN on Facebook for insights into DAN Dive Safetysafety 8x6cm Dive Log NZ various dive-related and medical issues. Search ‘DAN Asia Pacific’ or scan here.

20/5/15

12:46 PM

begins dive safetywith me. A diver collapses after a dive. He urgently needs oxygen.

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www.divenewzealand.com 57

DIVEMEDICINE

Nitrogen narcosis research in New Zealand Professor Simon Mitchell. University of Auckland. All divers, even from the most basic levels of training are taught about nitrogen narcosis. We are taught that the nitrogen in air breathed under pressure causes a narcotic effect that is first noticed around 30m, and gets worse as the diver goes deeper. We are taught that this effect manifests as euphoria, inattention, carelessness and reduced concentration; an underwater form of drunkenness. Its intuitively obvious why this is not a good thing. Any tendency to poor concentration and distracted behavior at deeper depths may lead to accidents and is clearly dangerous.

ll divers, even from the most basic levels of training are taught about nitrogen narcosis. We are taught that the nitrogen in air breathed under pressure causes a narcotic effect that is first noticed around 30m, and gets worse as the diver goes deeper. We are taught that this effect manifests as euphoria, inattention, carelessness and reduced concentration; an underwater form of drunkenness. Its intuitively obvious why this is not a good thing. Any tendency to poor concentration and distracted behavior at deeper depths may lead to accidents and is clearly dangerous.

Mitigation Divers are taught a number of ways of mitigating the effects of nitrogen narcosis. At the most basic level, avoiding venturing to the depths where it becomes a problem is advocated. This forms one of the reasons why many training agencies stipulate the maximum depth for air diving to be 40m, and some stipulate shallower maxima. At a more advanced level, gases other than air may be used to reduce the inspired pressure of nitrogen during a dive. For example, substituting oxygen for some of the nitrogen in ‘nitrox’ is alleged to reduce narcosis, and substituting helium for some or all of the nitrogen in “trimix” or “heliox” respectively is an absolute necessity for very deep diving.

But what do we know? For all the talk and recommendations around this subject, divers might be surprised to find how little we actually know about nitrogen

58 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

narcosis. For a start, we don’t even know how nitrogen produces a narcotic effect at pressure. There are theories but no definitive answers. Similarly, we don’t know whether reducing the inspired amount of nitrogen by using nitrox really does reduce narcosis. One school of thought holds that oxygen is just as narcotic as nitrogen, so substituting one for the other does not really help. One reason why there is so little information on this problem is that narcosis is hard to study. Subjects have to be either diving, in which case it is very hard to study them, or in a hyperbaric chamber. For obvious reasons, having subjects breathing air under pressure in a hyperbaric chamber has been the most common approach to studying narcosis. Typically, the effects of narcosis during these hyperbaric chamber ‘dives’ have been studied using ‘thinking function’ tests, but this too has its problems. Performance on such tests is affected by the subject’s level of concentration and motivation, and where the subject does the tests more than once there is a practice effect which sees performance on the test improve after doing it several times.

New research At the University of Auckland we are about to embark on a research program to try to address some of these research difficulties, and to answer some important questions about narcosis along the way. This work has been funded by the United States Navy Office of Naval Research. The purpose of writing about it here in Dive New Zealand

is that there is an opportunity for interested divers, particularly from the Auckland and Waikato regions, to become involved in this work. The first thing we need to study narcosis more effectively is a method of measuring it in a human subject that is unaffected by the subject’s concentration or motivation, or by the practice effects that we see in thinking function tests mentioned above. Therefore, we are going to try to develop a narcosis measurement method based the electroencephalogram (EEG) which is basically a technique in which the brain’s electrical activity is measured using electrodes on the head. We will start this process in a lab environment at Waikato hospital where one of my colleagues is an expert on the EEG effects of anaesthetic drugs. In the first instance we want to see what a drug known to produce a mild narcotic effect similar to nitrogen narcosis does to the EEG. So we will start by exposing volunteer divers to nitrous oxide (laughing gas) while they have their EEG measured and complete several simple thinking function tests. We will try to find patterns of EEG change that are consistent between subjects and proportional to the level of impairment induced by the laughing gas. We will then use these patterns to produce an EEG-based scale of narcotic effect that we will try to apply to nitrogen narcosis.

Testing the experimental method The next step will be to see whether this scale works during real

nitrogen narcosis, and therefore whether our EEG tool for measuring nitrogen narcosis will be useful for narcosis research. To do this we will expose volunteer divers to pressure in the hyperbaric chamber at Auckland. In the first instance we plan dry dives to pressures equivalent to 25 and 50m depths. Each subject will undertake two of these dry dives; one breathing air and one breathing heliox (20% oxygen, 80% helium). Helium is a non-narcotic gas and we would expect no narcosis during its use. This will allow us to separate any EEG changes induced by pressure and the chamber environment from changes induced by nitrogen narcosis. We will compare the EEG changes during nitrogen narcosis with those seen during administration of laughing gas and see whether our EEG narcosis scale developed with laughing gas can be applied to nitrogen narcosis.

Helping divers since 1983

Assuming our EEG narcosis measurement scale works for nitrogen narcosis, we will then go on and try to answer one of the most hotly debated questions in diving: does using nitrox (an oxygen and nitrogen mixture with less nitrogen than air) actually reduce narcosis? The debate centers around whether or not oxygen is actually a narcotic gas, and how does it compare with nitrogen. So, our goal will be to identify any narcosis induced by oxygen at inspired pressures that are relevant to various diving scenarios. In the first instance we will expose volunteer divers to inspired oxygen at 1.0, 1.4 and 2.8 atmospheres in the hyperbaric chamber whilst measuring their EEG and asking them to complete some thinking function tests. We will be able to compare the results to the narcosis induced by nitrogen exposure in our earlier work to decide whether oxygen is narcotic. All of this work will involve volunteer divers in the experiments. We have had great support from the diving community in Auckland previously. Many divers volunteered to participate in our prebreathe study which was published several years ago [1] and in our recent hypoxia study which is currently being written up for publication. We have found the diving community to be very supportive of diving research, and in turn the divers find participation in the studies to be a fascinating experience in which they learn a lot about these important issues. We will be seeking volunteer divers to participate in these narcosis studies in the near future. The initial studies with nitrous oxide would suit divers based near Hamilton, and the subsequent chamber studies would suit divers based in Auckland, but we would accept volunteers from anywhere who can get to where the tests are done. Volunteers can be involved in one or more phases of the study. There are no limits in that regard. We will be communicating directly with shops and clubs in the near future, but in the meantime if anyone is interested in hearing more, they can contact Xavier Vrijdag, a PhD candidate running the program, at: x.vrijdag@auckland.ac.nz.

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

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www.divenewzealand.com 59

SHADES OF COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

By Dave Moran, Editor at Lage

ou just have to love the photographic opportunities that the underwater en-vironment presents the photographer.

We also congratulate Grant on being named the British Underwater Photogra-pher of the Year. This is a huge achievement!

In this issue we see an amazing image taken in New Zealand’s Lake Taupo by Grant Thomas. I know a few photographers who have spent many hours trying to photograph New Zealand trout, both in lakes and rivers. One of the main challenges, as Grant comments, is working in extremely cold water. To keep your fingers working so that you can feel your camera housing’s controls, just about becomes impossible!

We wish to encourage all new photographers to have a go at entering the Nov-ice section of the competition. It’s a great way to be a little critical of your im-ages and to constantly strive to improve your skills. It’s a very rewarding pro-cess. Just ask any successful photographer. They will tell you they have enjoyed their journey and are still having fun trying new things.

We welcome your entries and even if you are not awarded a win your image may be published in the mosaic of some of the entries received. Give it a go! 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 https://tinyurl.com/y8wfkdml

‘Freshwater Frenzy’, Lake Taupo, New Zealand: Canon EOS 5D Mk III with Ikelite housing, 2 x Inon Z-240 strobes

A dvanced Category Winner:

Congratulations Grant Thomas, United Kingdom/New Zealand

When Grant first saw the fresh water trout in the rivers around Lake Taupo he knew there could be an opportunity for a unique photo. It took patience and very cold hands before the trout eventually became relaxed

60 60 Dive DiveNew NewZealand Zealand| |Dive DivePacific Pacific

in his presence. Grant comment-ed, “Possibly one of the most interesting subjects I have had the pleasure of photographing.” Grant receives an Ikelite Gift Voucher for NZ$100.

Judges’ Comments:

Very central composition, but I

don’t think it matters too much as the other trout bal-ance the overall image. Well-lit considering that these fish are very reflective and easy to overexpose. One of the judges was wondering; Why is the central trout's mouth open? Looks like it wants to bite the floating weed. Do they eat weed? I think not.

‘Not all that glitters is gold… it could be a golden weedfish’’; Chowder Bay, NSW: Nikon D800 & Nikkor 60/2.8 lens with Sea & Sea housing; 2x Sea & Sea YS250 pro strobes – f/36, 1/100, ISO125Sigma 15mm lens, 2 x Ikelite DS-125 strobes – f/8, 1/125, ISO 2400.

Advanced Highly Commended: Congratulations Gaetano D. Gargiulo, NSW, Australia Gaetano was diving in the amazing Sydney harbour at Chowder Bay which is on the north side as you head out of the harbour when he spotted this golden weedfish. Gaetano receives an Ikelite Gift Voucher for NZ$75.

Judges’ Comments: Wonderful pattern created by the lit edges of kelp. The fish’s eye is a little too cen-tral. We like the fish’s tail curling around. Nice work. Is the image pin sharp? 0Some cropping of the right and bottom edges of frame would have made this image even more appealing.

Novice Highly Commended: Congratulations, Stuart Loubser, New Zealand. Stuart was experiencing some wonderful tropical diving at Tranquility Island Resort on Moso Island which is off the northwest coast of the main Island, Efate and Vanuatu’s main commercial area, Port Vila, when he photographed this Elizabeth Chromodoris nudibranch’s horns! The correct name for these horns is rhinophores, which comes from the Greek words 'rhino' meaning nose and 'phore' meaning carrier. These are basically chemical receptors that allow the nudibranch to find food and mates. Stuart receives an Ikelite Gift Voucher for NZ$50.

Judges’ Comments:

‘Elizabeths Chromodoris’; Hideaway Island, Vanuatu: Olympus TG-4 with Ikelite housing and i-Torch Plus. Macro mode; f/2.3, 1/800, ISO100

There is a lot of black negative space in this image which highlights the nudibranch’s horns! With some cropping and increased exposure, it would have been even more

appealing. Also, some cropping of top and left would improve the image. But overall, well done Stuart.

www.divenewzealand.com 61

SHADES OF COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

‘The Great Barrier Reef is not dead (yet)’; Australia: Olympus TG-4 with PT-056 housing and Light and Sound GoBe 850 video light – f/2.8, 1/250, ISO4.5

Novice Category Winner: Congratulations, Mike Loughran, New Zealand. Mike was enjoying some R & R in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Spotted the beautiful soft coral while diving Ribbon Reef on the Great Barrier Reef. Mike receives an Ikelite Gift Voucher for NZ$75.

Thanks to all those who entered this fun competition. The judges and the team at Dive magazine look forward to receiving your photographic masterpieces in June for the August/September 2018 issue of the magazine. See: www.divenewzealand.com click on Photo Competition. It’s free to enter.

62 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Judges’ Comments: Overall the anemone portrait is nicely framed in the staghorn coral garden. Some points to take on board; the foreground hard coral is distracting. Working in Lightroom or Photoshop you could try darkening the hard-coral foreground and lightening the fish’s details, also a little colour enhancement would improve this image.

A selection of notable photos entered for this edition's competition Are you a Novice Photographer? We are lookiing 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, Recsea, 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) Grant Thomas

(A) David Haintz

(A) Simone Matucci

(A) Gaetano D Gargiulo

(A) Dave Weeks

(N) Stuart Loubser

(A) Mark Bloomfield

www.divenewzealand.com 63

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

Last time we briefly encountered the histogram while converting a RAW file. Here I want to show you how useful the histogram can be for setting the correct exposure. Virtually every digital camera from the simple point-and-shoot to the most sophisticated SLR will show you the histogram of an image just taken. Not many photographers appreciate this tool. The histogram can tell you a lot about the shot, if the exposure was correct or not, about lost details in the highlights and of possible noise lurking in the shadow areas.

What does the histogram tell us? A histogram is simply a bar chart, with the horizontal axis going from 0 to 255. This represents the 256 levels of an 8-bit image, with 0 corresponding to pure black and 255 to pure white. The vertical axis gives you the number of pixels for that particular lightness value. Every image editing program can show you a histogram. Image 1 shows a photo taken in New Caledonia with its histogram in Photoshop. In this case the tonal values are distributed quite unevenly with three prominent spikes. This is typical for images with high contrast; low contrast images will give you a more even distribution of tonal values. Keep an eye on the two sides of the histogram. If the pixels are piled up against the left side it means that the image contains black areas with no detail. Similarly, pixels colliding with the right wall indicates lost highlight detail.

…There is no such thing as a ‘bad’ histogram. It simply shows you the distribution of the tonal values in the scene you have chosen to capture… There is no such thing as a ‘bad’ histogram. It simply shows you the distribution of the tonal values in the scene you have chosen to capture. A low-key image will have most of its tonal values lumped to the left of the histogram. A high-key image, a snow scene for example, will show the opposite. Clipped highlights are normally a bad sign, unless

64 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Image 1 - Bungalows in New Caledonia with histogram you decide that you don’t need any details in those highlights, for example if the sun is in the scene.

Adjusting lightness and contrast with Levels Every image editing program will have a Levels interface. This is simply a histogram with sliders underneath as you see it in Image 1. Use the middle one of the three sliders to adjust the tonality. Pull it to the left to lighten, or to the right to darken the image. If you don’t touch the end sliders, neither the darkest, nor the lightest pixels will have changed, and there won’t be any clipping in the highlights or shadows. Think of a rubber band attached between both ends of the histogram.

Grab it by the middle (the middle slider) and pull it to the left: the levels to the left get compressed and the levels on the right (the lighter tones of the image) get stretched out, they become more prominent and the image gets lighter. Moving both end sliders towards the middle will push the contrast up. However, you need to be careful you don’t clip shadows and highlights too much. Here is a little trick if you use Photoshop (it works as well in some other editing software): hold down the Alt key while moving the end sliders. This shows you exactly the pixels which will get clipped. Note that we are working here with all colour channels combined. You can select the individual colour channels and correct any colour problems.

The camera histogram - The 5-stop window The camera histogram can give you useful information after taking the shot. Image 2 shows you such a histogram after taking a sunset.

JPEG images have 256 levels of brightness and it would seem logical to distribute the 256 data levels over the 5-stop window and allocate 51 levels to each stop. However, the camera sensor records the scene in a linear

Image 4 - How the Camera Sees the Image (assuming a 6-Stop Dynamic Range) way, not logarithmically like our eyes.

Image 2 - The Camera Histogram What stands out is that most of the pixels are in the left half of the tonality range and a lot of them are piled up against the left wall. You can expect things to get dark after the sun has set, but the shot could have benefited by giving it half a stop more light. When you look closer at your camera histogram (which may not come out in the print) you’ll see it is divided into five equal horizontal bands. This is the five F-stop window that covers the dynamic range of the sensor (Image 3).

Image 3 - The 5-stop window

Anything brighter, and that part of the image will get burned out; any less light and the scene will be rendered as black. Burnt-out highlights is the bigger danger and you will find many cameras can warn you when reviewing your shots. You can either ignore the warning if you don’t need to retain detail in those highlights, or simply dial the exposure back one stop or half a stop.

Image 4 shows half the data (128 levels) falls into the first F-stop; half the remainder (64 levels) goes into the second stop, and so on. In other words, if you don’t use the righthand fifth of the histogram for recording your image data, you are in fact wasting about half of the available data levels of your camera! You …You need to remember our might have heard eyes respond logarithmically: photographers telling you “Expose each F stop corresponds to to the right”. a doubling or halving of the Well, it is a good amount of light hitting the sensor… However, the camera habit, though you will find heated sensor records the scene in a discussion over linear way, not logarithmically this topic on the like our eyes… internet. Image 4 assumes we can squeeze a 6-stop exposure out of our sensors, which is quite realistic with today’s cameras. Note the small number of data levels available for the shadow parts. If you need to lighten those shadows in postprocessing you will quickly run into problems. In practice it does not look that bleak, because your camera is able to record 12 or even 14 bits of data, which will give you at least 4096 discrete tonal values (212) instead of 256 (28). Still, you should be utilising the entire range to minimise noise and posterisation (banding) in the shadows.

Expose (to the) right

If this all sounds very complicated, just remember that you should always have some data in the right-hand fifth of your camera histogram, without hitting a ‘brick wall’, i.e. burning out highlight details.

Now you need to remember our eyes respond logarithmically: each F stop corresponds to a doubling or halving of the amount of light hitting the sensor.

In the next issue we’ll look again at the histogram but use it for colour correction.

www.divenewzealand.com 65

DIVING THE WEB Phil Bendle e: pbendle@gmail.com

This is a interesting video taken by members of the Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hunters Club of a incredibly rare occurrence of a swarm of Paper Nautilus at the Three King Islands. These are deepwater pelagic octopuses that are carried to the surface by strong currents. http://tiny.cc/nautilus

"Reef Life of the Andaman" is a marine biology documentary video by Nick Hope of the marine life of Thailand and Myanmar. This is a 116-minute film that features descriptions of 213 different marine species including more than 100 tropical fish, along with sharks, rays, moray eels, crabs, lobsters, shrimps, sea slugs, cuttlefish, squid, octopus, turtles, sea snakes, starfish, sea cucumbers, corals, worms etc. http://tiny.cc/bernet

Extreme Cave Divers: A Documentary on Cave Diving and Lost Underwater Worlds (Full Documentary) http://tiny.cc/extreme

This link will take you to Brent Durandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underwater gallery. Brent's photography has been published in print worldwide and is a regular contributor to several magazines. Swipe left to advance. http://tiny.cc/durand

Deep Sea Diving Suit: The Diving Dress 1943 US Navy Training Film. This interesting historic video shows the driving dress, the characteristics of each part and the dangers of underwater pressure. http://tiny.cc/1943dress

In January 2018 two orcas were seen swimming close to a pair of kids in Enclosure Bay on Waiheke Island New Zealand. I think the onlookers were more frightened than the children. http://tiny.cc/enclosurebay

66 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

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

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

NEW ZEALAND NORTHLAND A to Z Diving & Cylinder Services IANZ accredited SCUBA, LPG & Industrial cylinder testing. Certified in servicing all brands of dive gear. Supplier of compressor consumables: carbon, molecular sieve, felt pads, oil, O-rings etc. Certifiers of Air & LPG Fillers. All major gases available onsite.

235 Wiroa Rd, Kerikeri. P: 021 508 707 www.atozdiving.co.nz E: andre@atozdiving.co.nz (DNZ163) B AY O F I S L A N D S , N E W Z E A L A N D

“World-class diving package” “Great diving mixed with even better accommodation, meals and hospitality” “Unbelievable value for money” [ R E C E N T T R I P A DV I S O R C U S TO M E R R E V I E W S ]

Paihia Dive Dive training, charter and retail in Paihia. Dive the Rainbow Warrior, frigate Canterbury and the Bay of Islands. PADI courses: Open water to Instructor. Quality scuba brands: Aqualung, Tusa, Faber, Luxfer and Wettie spearfishing. Open 7 days. Williams Rd, Paihia, P: Craig or Lisa 09-402 7551 E: info@divenz.com www.divenz.com (DNZ161)

DNZ163

www.northlanddive.com Tel +64 9 433 66 33

NITROX

Drysuits / Wetsuits Sales and Repairs

suit repairs, seals, zips, boots, leaks Viking • Otter • Fourth Element

Regulator Servicing All brands Qualified technicians

Dive Compressors

dnz159

New and used machines Servicing all brands Consumables - Hydro panels

Dive Doctor

now at Sylvia Park Rd Unit R 20 Sylvia Park Rd Mt Wellington Auckland

(next to the Sylvia Park Mall)

Dive Zone Bay of Islands Far North’s only PADI 5 Star IDC facility. Open Water to Instructor courses. Freedive and spearfishing training & trips. Dive trips,On-site equipment servicing & cylinder testing. Aqualung, Mares, Scubapro, Beuchat. Open 7 days! 5 Klinac Lane, State Highway 10 Waipapa. 09 407 9986. www.divezoneboi.co.nz, info@divezoneboi.co.nz (DNZ161)

09-530 8117 E: info@divedoctor.co.nz www.divedoctor.co.nz

Northland Dive World Class Diving package – Great diving mixed with even better accommodation, meals and hospitality. Dive with the team that instigated the sinking of the Canterbury Frigate. Full Gear available incl NITROX – PADI /TDI/ SDI training “Unbelievable value for money”. 3851 Russell Road, Whangaruru, Bay of Islands, P: 09 433 6633, E: info@northlanddive.com www.info@northlanddive.com (DNZ162) Dive HQ Whangarei One of Northland’s premier dive training facilities. Highest standard instruction and equipment. With their own on-site heated training pool and classroom. Staff and instructors have extensive knowledge of diving, marine environment and diver safety. At the gateway of the beautiful Poor Knights Islands. 41 Clyde Street Whangarei Freephone: 0800 102 102 or P: 09 438 1075 E: info@divenow.co.nz www.divenow.co.nz (DNZ162) Dive! Tutukaka The Poor Knights Islands experts – professional, fun and safe – “It’s what we do” – With 5 boats, catering for all abilities; Adventure Audited, Qualmark endorsed, PADI 5 star IDC; air fills, nitrox, gear hire. Shed 7 with salt-water pool and training facilities – Behind Schnappa Rock. Marina Rd. Tutukaka, Whangarei. Open 7 days, 7am-7pm. Always someone at the end of the phone 0800 288 882. Phone: 09 4343 867 E: info@diving.co.nz www.diving.co.nz (DNZ162)

AUCKLAND / DISTRICTS New Zealand Diving Charters to the Hauraki Gulf incl marine reserves, Little & Great Barrier Islands. Also overseas trips. NZ’s leading SDI & TDI 5 star IDC & PADI with a wide selection of courses. Qualmark endorsed. Nitrox, 300bar fills, servicing & rental hire. Full selection of gear for sports & tec divers. 22 Whitaker Rd, Warkworth. P: 0800 NZDIVING. E: Neil@NZDiving.co.nz www.NZDiving.co.nz (DNZ164)

DIVE STORES / TRAVEL Auckland Scuba on Auckland’s north shore. PADI 5 STAR IDC diver training specialists. PADI dive courses beginner to instructor and tec rec. Part time/full time tertiary (student loan approved), NZQA credits. Dive trips, air/nitrox fills, cylinder testing, equipment servicing. Top quality equipment! Unit I, 121 Rosedale Rd, Albany. P: 09 478 2814 E: info@aucklandscuba.co.nz www.aucklandscuba.co.nz (DNZ160) KIWI DIVERS SSI, TDI/SDI, RAID dive centre. Recreational and Technical dive courses (rebreather friendly). Regular trips from our own boat. Equipment sales, servicing and hire. Cylinder testing, air/nitrox trimix/oxygen fills. Open 7 days. 8 Keith Hay Court, Silverdale (just 20 mins north of Akld) P: 09 426 9834 E: info@kiwiscubadivers.co.nz www.kiwiscubadivers.co.nz (DNZ162) Performance Diver NZ’s diving superstore! Massive stocks of all lines at unbelievable prices. PADI 5 star Instructor Development Centre offering training from beginner to Instructor. Local & national dive charters, overseas trips, servicing, air fills and rental. Open 7 days! 74 Barrys Point Road, Takapuna (behind Avanti bikes). 09 489 7782 www.performancediver.co.nz (DNZ159) Dive HQ Westhaven in Auckland's CBD. PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre. Become a PADI Dive Instructor with us. NZQA approved Part Time and Full Course available. Still Your Local Dive Shop for all your SCUBA dive, freediving, spear-fishing and gear-servicing needs. Mares, Atomic, Oceanic, Pinnacle, Beuchat, and Zeagle. Fully equipped dive equipmentservice centre and dive cylinder testing facility onsite. Corner (101) Beaumont & Gaunt Sts, Westhaven, Auckland. P: (09) 307 3590, E: info@divehqwesthaven.co.nz www.divehqwesthaven.co.nz (DNZ162) Global Dive NZ’s favourite technical and recreational dive store. All top brands stocked and serviced. Our active dive club meets monthly with guest speakers and BBQ. Experts in photography and tech diving. Quality rental gear, inc 2, Helium, 300 BAR air fills. A full selection of quality products as well as hard to find items for the technical, recreational and commercial diver. 132 Beaumont St, Westhaven, P: 09 9205200 www.globaldive.net E: info@globaldive.net (DNZ168) Dive Doctor Mt Wellington New Zealand’s specialist dive servicing company, regulator servicing, drysuit & wetsuit repairs, compressor servicing, cylinder testing, NITROX, O2, Helium, 300 BAR air fills. A full selection of quality products as well as hard to find items for the technical, recreational and commercial diver. 20R Sylvia Park Rd, Mt Wellington www.divedoctor.co.nz P: 09 5308117 E: info@divedoctor.co.nz (DNZ165) Go Dive Center For All Your Diving Needs. SSI Training Facility. Authorized Mares Dealer. Servicing, Tank Fills and Trips. Come in and let us take you on a journey of discovery in the underwater world. Unit 3/30 Tironui Road, Papakura, Phone 09 298 6431 or 0210 385 940 www.godivecenter.co.nz (DNZ159)

THIS SPACE COULD BE YOURS Colin Gestro - Affinity Ads M: 027 256 8014 colin@affinityads.com www.divenewzealand.co.nz www.dive-pacific.com

www.divenewzealand.com 67

DIVE STORES / TRAVEL / PRODUCTS | SERVICES COROMANDEL / BAY OF PLENTY

DNZ161

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) 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

(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)

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)

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) 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) 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) 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)

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 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. 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)

PROFIT OR SCANDAL

our deepwater – fishery

NOVEMBER/DECEM BER 2009

MTA CON

debates contro FERENCE versial issues

CELL PHONES – the hidden killer at sea

$9.50

68 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Ph 09 533 4336 • www.skipper.co.nz

ISSUE 72

dnz164

INCL. GST (NZ & AUST)

SIN INB

AY YEE, READY TO AD SERVE

WATERFRO NT BUSINESS – THE LATES T IN NEWS AND VIEWS

S72 covers.indd

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

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)

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)

DNZ164

Manufacturing Quality Wetsuits in New Zealand for New Zealand conditions.

www.seaquel.co.nz

HDS Australia-Pacific

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)

dnz164

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)

DIVE COMPRESSOR

sales and servicing

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.

High Pressure Equipment NZ Ltd

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

p h 0 9 -444

15G Porana Rd, Glenfield, Auckland wetsuits@seaquel.co.nz Tel: 09 443 2771

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

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

INTERNATIONAL DIVE OPERATORS AND RESORTS AUSTRALIA

0804

32 Parkway Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland. Email info@highpressure.co.nz

www.highpressure.co.nz

www.divenewzealand.com 69

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)

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) 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

On the seafront downtown Port Vila. • Certified dives • Snorkel Tours • Training to Instructor Level • Full gear hire available •

•C Inst

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)

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 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

(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

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+ On the seafront downtown Port Vila. years exp. globally. Photos/video: uw caves in Mexico, USA, UK, NZ, Australia.Tours Techdive NZ/GUE • Certified dives • Snorkel • Training toNZ instructor. P: Level 021 614 023,gear hire available • Instructor • Full www.techdivenz.com jamie@techdivenz.com Very friendly, professional & experienced Dave Moran Ching Dynasty porcelain from the Tek local Instructors & Dive Masters. Sing. P: Dive New Zealand 09-521 0684, dive sites (10 to 20 minutes) including 5 wrecks E:20 divenz@DiveNewZealand.co.nz (including 4 engine QANTAS Sandringham flying boat and 150 year old sailing ship Star of Russia)

PLACE AN AD WITH US

Temp 24-28°c. Viz 10m to We can create your advert 40m. Free pickup from or classified ad for you!

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

Resorts in town. Contact: colin@affinityads.com P: +678 27518 or email:

colin@affinityads.com

35 15 37 57 & 59 55 8

70 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific

Nanuk Oceandry Outdoor Sports NZ SeaTech SIDE Dive Munda Solomons Airlines

53 31 51 22 9 11

Spirit of Freedom www.bigbluevanuatu.com 17 For your safety Subscription 71 Vanuatu has recompression facilities. Tahiti 27 Uprising Beach Resort 21 Wakatobi 2-3 Yamaha IBC/OBC

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Air Vanuatu Airtec Big Blue Resort DAN FantaSea Inon

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PA C I F I C ’ S M O S T I N F O R M AT I V E D I V E M A G A Z I N E

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A Humpback whale calf comes to play in Tahiti

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Cook Is cave diving treasure

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• Giant devil rays foreplay captured for first time

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• Want to dive under ice? New column! Spearos diary

Scotland Prehistoric Basking Sharks

Vanuatu

Hanging with the President

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Our regular Shades of Colour photo competition brings to life the wonders of the deep. DIVE

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

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a fixture - report TecFestnz has become a fixture of the New Zealand diving calendar every two years; it was welcomed in Taupo this year with a clear sky, warm conditions and a record crowd. TecFestnz is where important hot dive topics are discussed, along with presentations on conservation and recent expeditions, with equipment inspected and tried out. The initial goal was to create a community event where both experienced divers and those new to technical diving could rub shoulders, try out kit and put a face to a name. A good percentage of guests attended all five events held so far and Chris and I are proud to have achieved our goal and that technical diving has grown due to the event. A significant by-product of TecFest is the diving community’s engagement with WorkSafe; these days safety is integral to the success of the dive industry and an issue that dive centres can tag on to their technical training services.

Presentations on conservation, cave diving, decompression theory, travel, photography and workplace safety were covered over the two-days. Exhibitors showcased product and services both down at the beach and in the auditorium. A huge thankyou to all TecFestnz sponsors and exhibitors: Dive Rite; Shearwater Research; SSI; Mares; Dive New Zealand; PADI; Suunto; Scuba Force; Travel & Co; Nanuk Cases; Lust 4 Rust; AWOL Charters; and Hollis. Also, to the great range of speakers, especially TecFestnz’s key speakers Professor Simon Mitchell and Pete Mesley. Comments during and since strongly suggest TecFestnz should remain firmly fixed on the diving calendar, so plans are already afoot for 2020 with the possibility of a smaller TecCamp next year. Keep an eye on the TecFestnz web site for details and ‘like’ the TecFestnz Facebook page to get regular updates. - Brent McFadden, Event Co-organiser

Tec Fest organisers Brent and Chris

A scooter gets a workout

Jamie Obern gives the low down on Project Baseline in Fiji

DIve NZ's Dave Moran and Gilbert Peterson Photos: Rob Wilson, Frontline Photography

Dive Festival Whitianga's big weekend Despite some atrocious weather the beach events on the Saturday were a big success. And the Pirate Party was huge! It was really awesome for divers from around the country to come together and win some amazing prizes, enjoy a lot of fun and laughter and, of course, get in some diving on the beautiful Coromandel. The sea was not too bumpy and the sea temps were around 20 degrees. One of our crew, Paige Thomson, painted herself up like a Somalian Pirate much to the delight of Pete Bethune who couldn’t decide whether to arrest, or have a rum with her. Prizes were presented to the winners of a host of events, including a Dive Zone dive charter, Mares dive equipment, sets of regs, dive computers and Pioneer wetsuits. And the grand prize, the Travel & Co/Dive Zone Whitianga trip for two to dive Taveuni in Fiji.

Dive fest Whitianga Pirates

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- Linda Bird, Dive Whitianga

Whitianga Pete Bethune and Paige

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