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13/01/2005: "FIFTY YEARS AGO A tribute to Australia's first Sea Legend."

Jacques Cousteau won an Academy Award for Best Feature Length Documentary 50 years ago. It was a 90 minute cinema released movie that introduced many and inspired us potential divers to explore the marine world. Shot in 35mm it was colourful and professional.

Australia's Wal Gibbins was already six years established and could have shown Jacques Cousteau great things if the French filming team had come to Australia then, which they didn't.

The Silent World was a fasinating milestone in cinema history. Not on popular release anymore, unfortunately, despite the amazing sequences contained. Perhaps the demonstration of what dynamite does to reef fish is too much of a grey area? Or the crew whacking sharks with axes, or the baby whale run over by Calypso shown eaten by a pack of bull sharks.

Our attitudes have changed, and will continue to do so. But this information should not be censored today as it helps demonstrate our evolution of understanding. Without this yardstick, the young of today have less reference points on which to improve the present situation.

The following picture stories this week take us back to these fasinating and naive times that will never be repeated, of giant Queensland groper, huge Yellowtail Kingfish, and discoveries of rare sea shells and true sea adventure no longer available.

The (not mentioned here) salvage adventures of the Solomon Islands WW2 ships and many other amazing exploits will be covered in Wal Gibbins book. The manuscript is typed and now requires an editor and a publisher to see it through. All help appreciated - maybe the abalone diving industry will sponsor this urgently important project........

Read on. And phone Wal for his birthday, January 19th.....(02) 6654 4235