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


JH on 13.01.05 @ 06:24 PM AEST [link]

Cone Shell "Gloria Maris" .........Wal Gibbins private collection

At one time the worlds' rarest and most valueable sea shell the conus Gloria Maris or "Glory of the Sea".

A keen shell collector with a memory for the latin names, Wal Gibbins discovered the previously unknown South Pacific habitat of this elusive prize in the Solomon Islands.

The shell liked deep dark water. Unlike some other cones this one can be found in daylight hours. Trouble was, the same territory (the entrance to rivers) was favoured by saltwater crocs and nearby sharks of all sizes inhabited the open water. This discouraged a lot of divers from looking there.

By late 1970 Wal has shocked the shell museums of the world with a price list that detailed specimens of many sizes.

A very rare shell in 1969, in good condition was worth $10,000 to a keen collector (in today's adjusted values). In 1969 there were only 76 known specimens of Gloria Maris which consisted mainly of dead specimens washed up on beaches in the Phillipines and New Guinea. Only three were known from the Solomons, but this was a good clue.

Diving had the ability to find perfect specimens. Wal discovered the habitat and found as many as 30 shells in one day, but usually just a couple. They were released onto the world market at half-price. But the prices dropped rapidly. Specimens were donated to three museums in Australia.

Pictured above is the smallest and the largest Gloria Maris ever found by Wal, and therefore probably the two known extremes of size.

For some reason, the smaller shell seems rather cute and unique. The entire collection is therefore 'priceless' (not for sale).




JH on 12.01.05 @ 02:16 PM AEST [link]

Heron Island 1963 ............."skindiving paradise".

As documented elsewhere, in the early days of underwater exploring, there was no thought given to fish conservation.

During the annual November convention, these spearmen from Sydney's eastern suburbs White Water Wanderers and St.George clubs took their own speedboats to Heron Island for the first time and 'cleaned up'. A mixture of reef fish - mainly estuary cod, coral trout, maori wrasse and a huge venus tusk fish are shown strung-up for this now historic and never-to-be repeated picture outside their accomodation hut.

During the same convention Ron Taylor recorded scenes for his future 10 minute 16mm underwater motion picture coverage of these events, his first colour film.

It produced a fine travelogue starring his future wife Valerie Heighes and sold to (the then) Queensland Government Tourist Bureau as SKINDIVING PARADISE. These were the times when few scuba tanks existed and the main recreation was with spearguns. A defense against sharks was paramount in all divers thoughts.

The film ends with Wally Gibbins snorkeling to hitch a ride on a green turtle he awakens from a snooze with a tap on the head. Previously we saw some of the above people spearing fish. It was in mill-pond crystal ocean conditions under a tropical sun with 'water' too warm for wet suits.

Although not entirely a spearfishing film, it is a technical masterpiece and shows 33 year-old Wal Gibbins in his prime as one of the most self-confident of divers.

His 11ft 2" tiger shark was not included in this travel promotion film, obviously.
Photo:Wal Gibbins Collection

JH on 11.01.05 @ 10:47 AM AEST [link]

Giant Groper ...............Heron Island Resort 1961.

There was a time when Great Barrier Reef tourist resorts encouraged fishing - by handline and later by speargun. What else was there to do on a coral island? Get drunk?

Knowledge and interest in marine life was poor, underwater photography restricted to maybe a dozen in Australia who had the cameras. Spearfishing ruled.

Wal G. took this 500 pound giant Queensland groper near Heron Island. Spearfishing was encouraged but later replaced by a scuba diving convention.

No knowledge of how old fish were, how fast they were replaced was known - and still isn't. Everyone in those early times simply hoped for 'the best future to happen'. It didn't.

Giant groper were eventually given total protection status in Australian waters.

The large wooden 'shoulder gun' was the preferred choice of keen Sydney-area spearmen of the era.

Photo Wal Gibbins Collection


JH on 10.01.05 @ 08:55 AM AEST [link]

In Memory....Malcolm McLeod ........Nephew of Wal Gibbins

Died of an accidental gunshot wound, in bed. Professional diver. Strong sense of humour alternating with depression.
Illustration via fathom

JH on 10.01.05 @ 07:10 AM AEST [link]

Tiger Shark 1963 ........Wal Gibbins Memoirs

An eleven foot two inch tiger from Sykes Reef, near Heron Island. With a homemade 10 gauge shotgun powerhead fitted to a handspear, Wal showed the world what he was capable of.......no fear!

The powerhead worked! To divers this was our equivilent of a parachute aboard an aircraft going into battle.

A major milestone toward conquering the psychological 'fear of the unknown'.

Photo: Wal Gibbins Collection




JH on 09.01.05 @ 06:52 AM AEST [link]

Yellowtail Kingfish ...............Wal in 1956 at Coffs Harbour NSW

A whole yellowtail kingfish removed from the water before feeding time. See picture below....
JH on 08.01.05 @ 09:14 AM AEST [link]

A feed for a bull shark. Currarong NSW circa. 1962

"A shark is a big muscle attached to a jaw" said Wal Gibbins. This former 45-50 pound Yellowtail Kingfish was inadvertently hand-fed to a very large bull shark off Beecroft Headland bombora (near Jervis Bay NSW) in the early 1960's.

Wally had held onto the paralyzed speared fish (by holding the spear itself) trusting the shark wouldn't venture close. Wrong.

It was in the era when divers were learning lots and learning fast. An exciting and unknown time being pioneered by Leaders like Wal.

Common knowledge today.

Both photo's: Wal Gibbins Collection

JH on 08.01.05 @ 08:08 AM AEST [link]

SS Yongala Bell ........Wal Gibbins discovery and salvage.

Looking as proud and as happy as any salvage diver could. The famous bell from the most famous diveable shipwreck in Australian waters, and the man who found this glittering prize.

More previous info now in archives 11/16/2004 (November 16, 2004).

Photo: WAL GIBBINS COLLECTION

JH on 07.01.05 @ 03:37 PM AEST [link]

WALLY GIBBINS is also known as WALLY GIBBONS

What defined a good diver in the early days was the ability to invent, design and improvise equipment. To be a good diver it was advantageous to be also skilled with a lathe and other things. Most equipment was home-made from the 1950's to 1970 and we all relied on friends for help or guidance or both.

The famous Sea Hornet (trade mark) speargun trigger was a design from Wally Gibbins.

Pictured at home in Sawtell 1990 with the most popular regulator of the late 1950's - the double hose Aqua Lung (trade mark) regulator - quieter and easier to breath from. Terrific for photographers as the exhaled air did not rumble past ears and eyes.

Footnote: Wal Gibbins worked in many Ben Cropp's underwater documentaries around Australia, PNG and the Solomon Islands for two years full time. They share the same birthday, January 19th with a six year age diffference. Wally in 1930, Ben in 1936.

See his pictures and interviews: www.xanga.com/wallygibbins

Photo: John Harding/fathom


JH on 07.01.05 @ 03:26 PM AEST [link]

Legends Surf Museum .......Scott shown hard at work.

A true Peter Pan of the sea, Scott Dillon is pushing 75 but seems more like 25 years of age, his rare talent of making total strangers feel relaxed and like an old friend is unique. It's real, I see it often when they arrive at his museum, near Coffs Harbour NSW.



JH on 06.01.05 @ 12:52 PM AEST [link]

Lastest in shortboard design.

Seen at Legends Surf Museum, Coffs Harbour, this week. Custom made surfboards sell at about AUS$100 per foot of measure. (They use USA terms). Longboards from about $120 per foot. Several extra's can push the price up. This shortboard has three removeable standard fins.

JH on 06.01.05 @ 12:39 PM AEST [link]

Surfers 1966 .......A flashback of fun.

It was a dusty rough track into Seal Rocks NSW when this shot was taken. The open back window of the panel van would have guaranteed a 'suede' coating of dust on the malibu's.

No surf, but these guys from Newcastle have spotted something. A whale or dolphin?

This picture is published for the first time today, almost forty years later. Who were these guys and what surfing adventures have they had since? What interesting stories might be told? Maybe a surfing magazine will pick up on this 'spark of an idea'?

No roof rack for the boards. No seat belts either in those days. Everyone piled into the back and four jammed in on the front seat.


JH on 06.01.05 @ 11:11 AM AEST [link]

Where rainforest greets The Reef .....coconut tree shame.

South of Cairns, a pure (drinkable) freshwater creek flows from a rainforest into the sea. A coconut tree grows happily near the high water tide mark. Elsewhere in Queensland national parks, coconut trees are being cut down by zelos park rangers lacking more constructive work to keep them occupied.

JH on 05.01.05 @ 09:36 AM AEST [link]

SCENIC AUSTRALIA..............Forbes Island, Flinders Group

In the far north of Quensland the islands are mostly national parks and are therefore uninhabited. The only visitors are occasional yatchies and prawn trawler men.

It's another aspect of Australia few get to see. This is near Forbes Island, a tropical treat complete with coconut tree's.

Surprisingly, national park rangers loathe coconut tree's and are forever removing them - with poor justification based on rats and non-standard vegetation.

Few agree with this action and all folk surveyed would prefer the trees to remain as a fresh source of food and drink in an emergency.

JH on 04.01.05 @ 05:01 PM AEST [link]

Snowy Mountain foothills ........near Bemboka NSW

I'm suggesting to a colleague that he consider his planned motion picture be set near this region, in the beautiful scenic foothills of the Snowy Mountains.
This is fasinating country. I made this memorable picture of Maree Hawkins teaching me horse- riding in this fasinating country - 'way out the back' of the south-east of NSW.

A change away from the sea that day. It was a bit too rough for all underwater activity at the time.

JH on 04.01.05 @ 08:34 AM AEST [link]

Hand-feeding Qld. Groper .....(don't feed it fingers).

Jacques Couteau was among the first to highlight the side-effects of making sea life dependant upon us for food. His summary was 'we shouldn't do it'.

The marine parks have a similar view, BUT if the fish are not encouraged with food they don't stay around for the visitors to enjoy. The flow-on loss effects could run into the millions of dollars.

Already the potato cod have began leaving the cod hole - a famous destination near Lizard Island, (since marine parks introduced a limited feeding schedual). This demise was forewarned.

It now means the seven day dive trips have a little bit less to offer. A complicated issue.

The last word: Big fish are more valueable alive than as 'fish fingers'.

JH on 03.01.05 @ 12:26 PM AEST [link]

200 kg of Queensland Groper .....now a protected species.

Timid or just wary, the big Queensland Groper swims off and into a blue world of coral.

A large injury from former times shows a healed cut. This groper is a regular at Beaver Cay off Mission Beach and for years was fed by Perry Harvey from aboard his charter boat(s) Friendship.

The giant fish would vanish from the scene for three months each year, often returning with a mate. Difficult to photograph underwater (perhaps it was a speargun wound?) the big fellow would 'shy away' when anyone entered the water for a better view.

This picture was with an 80mm telephoto lens - which increased the blue hue.

JH on 03.01.05 @ 12:07 PM AEST [link]

Fish-size Matters .........think about this!

We have been taught by our elders to throw the little fish back and only keep the largest.

Fisheries inspectors will charge anyone for taking any undersized fish, (even although prawn trawler kill tonnes of undersized fish every day in their nets)! A crazy, stupid, out-of-date attitude that mocks common sense and discredits the good intentions of fisheries inspectors. Surely they know better but why hasn't a change occured?

Anglers (and spearmen) with big smiles pose with the catch, best has always been 'the biggest'.

The first recognition a change of attitude was needed came with the long overdue protection of all large NSW rock lobster.

It was finally realised, The Big Ones were the breeding stock, and they are now protected, a little too late as that industry has almost collapsed.

But what about fish? The largest fish produce more eggs. Shouldn't big fish be left in the sea? The smaller fish are less contaminated by heavy metal and other pollutants anyway.

This valid point was raised 35 years ago by Dr Richard Ibara (our talented USA correspondent for fathom magazine). I've been a bit slow sparking thought in this area, but the level of thought and care toward the sea is now highest (as per the current TV campaign "only rain should go in the drain" reminding many that cigarette butts should not go onto the street drains - and ultimately the sea).

All sea creatures deserve recognition regardless of size. Big is not always best, or healthiest for us to eat for that matter. Food for further thoughts......

JH on 03.01.05 @ 09:12 AM AEST [link]

Swimming with Sharks ......... the art of underwater modeling.

Jocelyn Edwards is a confident diver and an excellent underwater model, shown here at Seal Rocks NSW with some of the once again 'vanishing grey nurse'.

At times these sharks make an amazing comeback, as they did in 1988 when overnight hundreds re-appeared at Seal Rocks from what all thought was a brink of extinction.

This re-appearance did not alter the pre-planned script of a 'big budget' international TV documentary proceeding with the demise of the species theme, surprisingly at a time when we'd never seen so many sharks. The script, I was told, was inspired by my pictures and text titled "Vanishing Grey Nurse" published in Sea Frontiers eighteen months earlier, and amazingly still quoted recently to validate the extinction cause.

Grey nurse sharks were mis-represented in the early 1960's as maneaters, by late 1965 no informed expert subscribed to this 'now out-of-date opinion'.

Well-intending marine authors have since plagiarised the pre-1988 situation in what has become a perpetuating myth, (that spearfishermen were largely responsible) for the demise of the grey nurse.

Several additional factors indeed need consideration; variations in natural food supply being an obvious one, semi-professional journalists 'won't spoil a good story with an ugly fact', the myth of spearmen eliminating a shark species continues today, but mostly by word-of-mouth.

It may in time be learned that grey nurse sharks move off into more secluded and deeper new territories to avoid the well-intending but highly inquisitive scuba 'travellers'. In other words we are frightening them away.

The protection of the species does serve a good purpose many were being hooked on fishermens lines around popular scuba dive shop locations especially along the NSW coast.

Footnote Distribution of the grey nurse shark has recently been reported from new and much wider areas. Broome (WA), Christmas Island, PNG, and on the east coast, Lady Musgrave Island.

It would seem a broader migration pattern exists which may prove the original 'brink of extinction' tabloid reports (by me and others) as false and over-the-top.


JH on 02.01.05 @ 10:41 AM AEST [link]

Underwater Models Part II ......and mating turtles.

A mirror calm surface producing beautiful reflections underwater, a colourful and pretty model who shows self-confidence AND a unique natural history subject - the magic ingredients for a good picture.

Turtles obviously do a lot of mating, but the trick is getting close without spooking them into fright and flight.

We were diving with Ron Isbel and noted USA underwater cameramen on a Wild Kingdom TV project near Heron Island, when my long-term model Christine Danaher spotted a splashing pair on the surface in the far distance.

My simple Nikonos V 15mm lens and no bulky strobe we swam toward the action. Christine modeled beautifully. She is a petite girl and a good diver in-so-far that she enjoys making contact with marine animals and has ultimate trust they know she means them no harm.

It seems to work. The turtle didn't mind our approach. A group of people in the water at the same time could have produced a different outcome.

So while there is safety in swimming underwater with a group, there are dis-advantages if you seek rare pictures like the one above, shown here, in low resolution to protect copyright.

JH on 02.01.05 @ 10:11 AM AEST [link]

'ISLANDS IN THE STREAM' .....A small essential part in making this film.

It was an era pre video cameras. If fishermen wanted a record of their expeditions in Australia, they'd hire a profesional cameraman. I did several weeks of filming giant black marlin tagged and released off Cairns, Qld. from aboard the gamefishing boat Avalon, with Captain Peter Bristow.

My professional gear was a French 16mm Beaulieu camera, with 9.5mm to 57mm Angenieux zoom lens, running mostly in slo mo at 64 frames per second. With lens set at 25mm, it was point and shoot without using the tiny viewfinder. Essential with action that could happen in any direction as the fish hit the surface quite fast and from all angles. The boat was moving at a few knots as well.

We had some spectacular marlin jumps 'in the can' and then dolphin appeared and made beautiful high jumps out of waves.

This action was in the channel between Ribbon Reefs No.4 and No.5. east of Cooktown. Beautiful territory for both snorkel, scuba diving and fishing.

This film material was purchased weeks later for blow-up to 35mm and edited into the then major Hollywood motion picture in final stages of production, Islands in the Stream (based on the novel by Nobel Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway).

The film production was a bit of a box office fizzer in Australia - lacking action/violence of the era in movies. It was an era pre digital special effects. But it was a brilliant story as one would expect from Hemmingway.

The film sale did change the direction for my life considerably - as major success does. Were my proceeds wisely used? A new car and 18 months of social activity in the northern and eastern suburbs of Sydney was a good start, followed by sell-out film shows in Queensland with my documentary Australian Seafari (featuring the same marlin footage but with sharks eating the catch).

If social experience, and a confidence boost is valueable - I did well.





JH on 01.01.05 @ 08:03 PM AEST [link]