[Previous entry: "CAPE CUVIER ......Western Australia"] [Next entry: "FILM SHOWS ....continued"]

25/12/2005: "FATHOM MAGAZINE ......underwater photography"

Fathom magazine was the first quality printed publication of the undersea world in Australia.

Just ten issues were published - all in Asia for sale in Australia with a limited edition to USA.

Sales peaked at 11,500 copies. Hundreds of readers regularly wrote complimentary letters of encouragement.

Fathom featured interviews with expert people of the sea in that era; promoted and organised the first underwater film festivals. Gave encouraging prizes in underwater photo competitions - a holiday for - two on Heron Island; a Nikonos camera, etc.

The technically advanced and magnificent underwater photography of Ron and Valerie Taylor was always a regular feature.

The Australian TV doco project The Blue Frontier by Dr Walter A Starck, featuring his electrolung (a closed-circut breathing apparatus) 64 foot steel research vessel El Torito were show-cased to readers in two issues, numbers 8 and 9.

Son of Jacques Cousteau, Philippe Cousteau granted Fathom an interview in issue six while refusing to offer the same courtesy to overseas journals with far greater circulations.

Pictured above, pages from the never-published annual issue. The wet suited person with a sea lion and manta ray is Bob Collins formerly of Bermagui, New South Wales - in his home territory of Montague Island.

The above color picture is a recent pic of John Harding (me).

Opposition publication Skindiving in Australia was given these original artwork pages for use by editor Barry Andrewartha.

Later other underwater magazines appeared. Scuba Diver by Anthony Newly - still exists today with new owner Michael Aw. Underwater was self-published by editor, photographer, writer, designer Neville Coleman, ran for many years and would be just as entertaining today as it was then.