TURTLE DIGS A NEST.....unique photo

The flashlight has caught the shower of sand thrown by the green turtle as she digs a nest for her eggs.


JH on 28.01.06 @ 06:26 PM AEST [link]

TRITON TRUMPET ...... at Murray Island

Triton trumpet shells are rarely seen on much of the GBR but up north, at Murray Island near the PNG border with Australia, triton's are common.

This one was having a feed on a blue starfish. They also eat the larger Crown of Thorns starfish, one leg at a time.

This local diver was my guide. He was on holiday from a boarding school in Townsville, Qld.

An airstrip on Murray Island has a link to Thursday Island and from there to Cairns.

Murray Island is where documentary film maker Alby Mangles (World Safari) lost his yatch. A LP gas leak in the galley caused the explosion and fire which destroyed his boat.

The wreckage lies in 20 meters of water offshore from the small church, visited by an occasional medium sized tiger shark I noted.

The locals hunt turtle for food, which is legal for them to do.



JH on 28.01.06 @ 06:19 PM AEST [link]

THE CAPE ESCAPE ......a land safari

I'd been inspired by Northern Safari - the famous outback film featuring a conventional 1948 vintage motor vehicle making an incredible journey through Australia at a time when roads were rougher.

Here we were heading to Cooktown to show the locals shark movies, when we took a detour north through Lakefield National Park then just kept going. The road was shocking and got worse.

Bulldust was incredible in one area. My little companion started to panic at this point, but soon settled down and did some filming for me.

The Archer River provided white river gravel to camp on (provided there wasn't a flash flood). This is the turning around point for many city 4x4 travellers. But not for us.

It was the look on the faces of people in 4x4 vehicles heading home, their look of shock in seeing a Falcon in these sandy tough conditions that kept inspiring us to continue.

I recorded key moments, the hard parts, with a 16mm movie camera. At night we probably camped far too close to rivers where a crocodile hazard was sure to exist. Even our quick dips to wash ourselves was, in hindsight, a bit too risky these days.

Crossing the Wenlock River (above) took a certain degree of skill. I waterproofed the electrical system beforehand. A bit rough but it worked.

The Land Rover behind me conked out but then restarted. His mates yelled to the driver "Why don't ya get a Falcon, Joe"?

We crossed another couple of creeks then quit at the Alice River after getting up a tricky, steep and slippery bump on the other side.

To go further would have probably meant abandoning the vehicle, which was still quite new when we attemped all this.

Coming back was far easier.

Put the auto transmission in 2nd and the foot almost flat to the floor.

Dukes of Hazard style sliding through the sand at times. To stop anywhere on the soft sand was to get bogged - then a wait for a tow.

As for my film taken? Well, another guy made a travel documentary using the word 'escape' which put me off completing this film - for the time being anyway.






JH on 27.01.06 @ 03:20 PM AEST [link]

CORALS IN THE SURF ZONE.....beauty of the reef

Soft corals under breaking waves (left) and a hardy version or coral survives in shallow water.


JH on 26.01.06 @ 06:30 PM AEST [link]

PINK CORAL

JH on 26.01.06 @ 06:16 PM AEST [link]

CORALS MAGNIFIED

On the far northern Great Barrier Reef some corals are more colourful than their southern counterparts.

These formations are lifesized in the bottom picture (on a 15" computer screen). The top picture shows the individual polyps magnified by the underwater digital macro lens.





JH on 26.01.06 @ 05:50 PM AEST [link]

SHARK FEEDING ......graphic picture under surface

A set of teeth with a powerful muscle attached - the force must be seen to be fully appreciated.


JH on 25.01.06 @ 02:05 PM AEST [link]

TURTLE IN TROUBLE ......shark food

One of three medium-sized tiger sharks we saw feeding on the remains of this adult green turtle, near Raine Island, North Queensland.

Tiger sharks are common afternoon visitors around the island.

Any tired or weak turtles are cleaned up by these local sharks with their set of jaws and some very powerful muscles.

On this afternoon my companion came very close to being bitten by a tiger shark. We were taking pictures by leaning over the side of a dinghy with just our head and shoulders submerged.

Suddenly a fourth rogue (not part of the feeding pattern established by the other three) tiger shark arrived from out of nowhere, mouth open and intent on biting something.

I saw it coming and yanked my friend (who couldn't have seen it) out of the water just in time.

A fraction of a second slower and we could have had a terrible situation to deal with. Phew!

That's how close it happens. It's the rogue shark arriving that changes the situation. It was probably there all the time but out of vision.

Experience indicates tigers take their time deciding to feed then suddenly there is no more waiting. They take a mouthful and sever the entire piece.













JH on 24.01.06 @ 08:21 PM AEST [link]

HAMMERHEAD

A publicity picture for the documentary 16mm film, John Harding's Australian Seafari.

The hammerhead shark was wounded by a professional fisherman at Point Lookout (near where the fatal shark attack, mentioned below, occured).

This hammerhead was filmedgiving birth to a litter of pups underwater, before dying.

It was (shock horror) still kicking when this picture of myself was snapped by journo Mike Perry.





JH on 22.01.06 @ 02:07 PM AEST [link]

TWIN FINS ...... sharks

The myth continues…..during the media coverage of this months fatal shark bite at North Stradbroke Island on a swimmer, not a diver – the culprit shark was briefly being attributed to the poor old grey nurse yet again. This has been happening for decades and just won't go away.

The confusion spark came from a lead saying grey nurse sharks were common in the area.

(There is a protected grey nurse shark scuba diving site at nearby Flat Rock, about five nautical miles to the east).

When another spokes-person commented there may have been three sharks sighted, the story changed from grey nurse to bull sharks, becoming a pack of three sharks.

Let’s face it, the media loves a good shark story and that is unlikely to change. But variations of the same event within the media become a cult story itself.

Google alerts is a method of comparing news stories without wasting piles of newsprint. Replaces the press clipping services and is free.

For the record, here are two grey nurse shark pictures from the Seal Rocks region of New South Wales.

The twin dorsal fins make it easy to distinguish this species from bull sharks, tigers and white pointers (or great white’s) which all have a singular dorsal fin with an insignificant 2nd dorsal before the tail begins.

Hammerhead sharks not included, as there is no mistaking that creature.

PS: The grey nurse in top picture thinks: I'm a white pointer! (Note the posture).







JH on 22.01.06 @ 01:09 PM AEST [link]

SHARKS IN SHALLOWS

As young kids learning to spearfish we all felt safer in shallow water.

It doesn't always mean that shallow water equals no sharks and less risk.

For example, this composite of two pictures illustrated when Lynn Roberts met a non aggressive two meter long nurse shark (or tawney shark) on the Great Detached Reef. There was barely a meter of water covering the reef.

These sharks don't present a problem. But not all sharks are like this, for example:

Tiger sharks don't mind shallow water at all. Especially when there are few boats buzzing around.

A visit to Batt Reef off Port Douglas and the chances of seeing a tiger shark in a meter or two of water are good. This is where we encountered a highly spirited three meter shark.

It seems we are safer with more room to move - so deeper water isn't to be nerveous about after all, so long as you can still see the bottom below!

The rule: there are no rules with sharks. Keep your eyes open and sharp at all times.





JH on 21.01.06 @ 06:25 PM AEST [more..]

BLACK MARLIN ......Ribbon Reef pelagic visitor

A big black marlin hooked by an angler aboard Avalon with Captain Peter Bristow near The Cod Hole the amazing and unique dive site actually named by Peter Bristow.

Black marlin portrait (above) from 16mm film frame, via the early version of a pole camera.




JH on 20.01.06 @ 11:38 AM AEST [Ribbon Reef pelagic visitor">link]

THE COD HOLE ......but where are the potato cod?

A good thing ruined? Located near Lizard Island on the Ribbon Reefs north from Cairns and Port Douglas, The Cod Hole fish population was down to two potato cod says world underwater and marine guru Ron Taylor who visited the famous tour dive site last month.

This spells bad news for the dive tour boats who sell and promote scuba diving boat trips to The Cod Hole as their premier attraction in 5-day safaris.

Maybe it has a lot to do with dive leaders being stopped from feeding the fish - except on a very limited basis? It was warned and predicted this would happen.

Use our search for more Cod Hole information and pictures. More pictures: visit and search at the slightly crazier photo blog: www.fathomoz.com


Picture above: Graham feeding potato cod soon after it all began. November 1983 aboard the boat Auriga Bay


JH on 20.01.06 @ 09:41 AM AEST [but where are the potato cod?">link]

BEST FACE MASK EVER MADE .....an opinion

Many of the pictures shown on this web log will feature the face mask pictured (with model Debbie).

A clear (rubber) version was made for and worn by Jacqueline Bissett in THE DEEP movie in 1977.

This was a forerunner of many clear rubber face masks. All were failures (in this writers opinion) as sunlight would give reflections through the sides of the clear rubber onto the viewing screen!

They looked good, felt good, but anyone who knew better got rid of them.

This hasn't stopped dive shops from selling them, they still do. Incredible as it may seem.

The mask pictured with Debbie was a favourite with professional abalone divers in Australia. Called the scubavision it offers excellent wide views without a centre bar between the eyes as per the goggle or twin lens type face masks.

Hopefully a dive gear manufacturer in Taiwan or China will pick-up the moulds and begin production of this magnificent piece of diving gear again.

With it's large air space it's not so suitable for deep free divers, but perfect for scuba or ordinary snorkeling.


JH on 19.01.06 @ 03:42 PM AEST [link]

YELLOWTAIL KINGFISH TRAP .......since banned.

This kingfish trap (pictured at Seal Rocks, NSW) was one of hundreds that became too popular and successful at catching fish and was eventually banned.

It worked on the principal of providing shade from the sun. A sheet of plywood above the trap was the trick. It is missing from the picture here!

The fish found the shade, entered the trap and were caught.

The trap was positioned about ten meters below the surface – held in place by anchors and floats with maybe 30 meters of water below.

The traveling fish entered the traps in ignorance. No bait required.

Yellowtail kingfish were once considered “B” grade in quality until Japanese sushi chef’s began substituting kingie for the often harder to get and more expensive tuna’s.

Consequently the price of kingfish is now higher and stocks of the fish only a fraction of what some divers will remember.

Montague Island (NSW south coast) waters would teem with hundreds of tonnes of schooling kingies. Some of us thought it would always be like this – it wasn’t.

Being a prey for grey nurse sharks there is an obvious apparent link in the vanishing sharks syndrome when the major food source, i.e. kingfish, is decimated.

Note: more kingfish pictures at Seal Rocks can be found using the search function.



JH on 19.01.06 @ 10:06 AM AEST [more..]

CAPTAIN WALLY MULLER .......Deep Thoughts

North American divers were chartering Coralita to Marion Reef on a regular basis, taking back pictures of the amazing grey reef whaler shark schools often going crazy over food.

Hollywood wrote this action as an idea into a shooting script for THE DEEP (Peter Benchley’s sequel novel after his JAWS).

One amazing scene shows a hookah diver dragged backwards waving arms and legs through a set-up shark feeding pattern or semi-frenzy.

Jack McKenney did this dangerous stunt double. There was a very high risk he would get nipped in the process. Watch the DVD and judge for yourself.

No Australian’s were involved underwater with this movie shoot.

Captain Wally Muller (pictured in 1977 in a film crew T-shirt from The Deep) thought there was an even brighter future ahead catering for more Hollywood movies.

He could supply the sharks.

Then the B grade feature movie Sharks Treasure (produced by actor Cornell Wilde) and it was all over.

Gold Coast diver, Captain Doug Smith (who was to later vanish while spear fishing off his dive charter boat) assisted with the Hollywood movie stunts.


Wally Muller and Coralita then took a break from scuba charters for a high-risk survey charter to The Fly river in New Guinea - beyond any previous territory such a vessel had reached and returned safely from.

Then it another charter into dangerous pirate territory of the Celebes.

Such was the lifestyle and adventure of this original and very real King of the Coral Sea.





JH on 18.01.06 @ 04:05 PM AEST [Deep Thoughts">link]

WALLY MULLER ......spears a fish

The Swain Reefs 1967, during the Belgian Expedition. A former professional fisherman takes-up spearing fish for extra thrills.

The fish pulled the speargun out of Wal’s hands and off into deeper water. He retrieved the gun and the fish by firing another spear – not into the fish – but through the rubbers of the lost speargun.

In those early days when we speared fish professionally in exchange for a trip to remote places aboard Wally’s Riversong - it was mostly the prized coral trout that came aboard.

Occasionally I’d spear a trevally – which was a mistake.

Wally would make a curry out of it for our dinner instead of, I’d assumed, feeding us better quality fish.

In retrospect, trevally is a tougher fish, closer to beef and probably more suited for curry.

Many other fish would fall apart in the stew too easily.

JH on 18.01.06 @ 03:52 PM AEST [link]

PILOT WHALES ........or false killer whales

This is the one and only time I've seen these small whales underwater (apart from when some were stranded on a NSW beach).

This school of pilot whales were spotted from the deck of Careelah during the Belgian Expedition.

We swam with them for several minutes on the Ribbon Reefs as they raced around in shallow water.

National Geographic Magazine purchased a copy of this picture but it wasn't published.

The slow shutter speed of 1/60th second would have had something to do with that. The year was 1967.

Oceanariums would all like a pilot whale or two, much larger than dolphin and jet black in color.







JH on 18.01.06 @ 02:05 PM AEST [false killer whales">link]

COOK ISLAND CATCH ........Vic "Snowy" Ley

Vic Ley displays our morning's catch off Mary's Rock, Cook Island, Tweed Heads. This was at the beginning of our east coast safari.

"The sea was like a giant aquarium which we then proceeded to destroy with a mix of spearguns and ignorance".JH




JH on 17.01.06 @ 05:22 PM AEST [link]

EAST COAST SEAFARI

NINE MILE REEF is 4.5 miles offshore from Tweed Heads, making it a “nine mile journey there and back”.

First spotted in the early 1960’s by spear fishermen watching storm blown waves break far out to sea from their lookout at Point Danger. The waves indicated shallow ground, perhaps a reef - which it was.

Point Danger is the actual border of New South Wales and Queensland. Nine Mile Reef is on the southern or NSW side.

In the early days it was outstanding with more giant fish and sharks than possibly any other known east coast location. It was red hot.

Over the years intense professional fishing (of all kinds) decimated what was originally there.

Grey nurse sharks and giant Queensland groper were speared but kept alive for the Pet Porpoise Pool display tanks back at Tweed Heads.

Strong currents presented difficulties most times, as many ‘lost’ divers were to discover in the following years. It’s a long swim back to shore from out there.

The above picture demonstrates such a current during one of our early visits with future Australian champion, Vic ”Snowy” Ley.

We were both aged about 21 at the time, and on our first extended diving safari up the east coast, having quit our city jobs for this adventure. We lived in a tent as we traveled up the coast stopping for several days at all the good places.

Our original destination had been the Whitesunday Islands off Proserpine but we didn’t get there.

TOP We’d borrowed the car from Vic’s mother, hired the timber Squall boat from a friend, John Gallagher. The near new 45 HP Mercury outboard was Vic’s pride and joy.

UW My rubber snorkel (tucked into the weight belt) is bent by the pressure of water rushing passed, as I hold tight to the anchor line before terminating this dive.

The picture was snapped with the newly released Calypso Phot the first waterproof 35mm underwater camera.






JH on 17.01.06 @ 05:03 PM AEST [link]

VIC HISLOP ...... shark hunter

Vic Hislop made many headlines around the world when he began catching very large sharks on set lines in Moreton Bay, Queensland.

His services as a shark fisherman were sought by overseas councils following shark attacks.

His specialty began with tiger sharks and was soon refined to catch the very large white pointers (great white sharks) that were breaking free from conventional hooks and lines.

Seeing an opportunity to capitalize on his catches he began to experiment with various preservation methods of these big sharks from freezing to formaldehyde. His shark shows today are at Airlie Beach and Hervey Bay, both Queensland holiday centres.

Attracting much media attention also brought its share of critics. Not everyone was happy with this Great White Hunter and his attitude toward the sea and even dangerous creatures.

Before anyone had studied the migratory pattern of white pointer sharks (with satellite tags) claims of near extinction were loosely made – first by French underwater documentary makers in South Australia having difficulty finding sharks to film.

Vic Hislop countered this with: the sharks were following migrating whales north and were far from South Australia and far from any brink of extinction.

To prove his point he set baited lines off Queensland’s Moreton Island and within days caught several large tiger and white pointer sharks. Large being three to four meters in length, or more.

To fishermen, surfers and divers these efforts were a shock that so many big sharks were close.

Later an international campaign to protect white pointer sharks (based on an aprex predator theroy) began and eventually gained sufficient media exposure-weight to become legislature.

This new law thought impossible or even ridiculous decades before - at a time when sharks were more mysterious denizens of the deep, less photographed, studied and understood.

Not everyone will agree the protection of white pointer sharks is a good idea and the complete answer.

And do not trust the accuracy of TV documentaries for your reliable shark info, regardless of which trusted brand name produces them. There are no penalties for half-truths in these films.

Plaguarism of errors occurs frequently.

Now, when a shark attack occurs, increasingly more frequently, police and council authorities (at least as quota by the media) seem to give consideration toward shooting the culprit – as if it were to hang around and pose a further danger as per the fictional JAWS.

This is unlikely in a migratory species, the problem swims away, but doesn't go completely away. It may be back later - perhaps. Who knows?

Assume for a moment that white pointer sharks have an incredible memory based on their survival and feeding priorities which also will enable them to navigate and return to any pin-point on the ocean planet!

Never, under any cicumstance under-estimate the intelligence level of this major marine predator, especially if you are a dive instructor, a fisherman in a small boat or a surfer. Assume nothing.

Feb 3 2006. Tagging white pointers story:http://www2.humboldt.edu/~merge/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&page_id=1206




JH on 17.01.06 @ 09:29 AM AEST [link]

JANET KINGSBURY and JOHN BONNEY ..... TV film actors

Above: publicity material for Contrabandits ABC-TV

Janet Kingsbury and John Bonney were TV actors in Sydney who were required to scuba dive as part of their character roles.

Somewhere along the way they met Ron and Valerie Taylor who invited them to join our safari – a few days away from the city at a good location – Wooli on the north coast of New South Wales.

Offshore there was the big island (North Solitary Island) with it's southern coral formations growing around the rocks, big pelagic fish and often a few dangerous bull whaler sharks to make any swim more exciting.

Our small boats were just adequate for the journey offshore, if the sea was reasonably calm. Most of our photo work was via snorkel diving – there was plenty to see in the shallows down to 15 meters anyway. Scuba was unnecessary.

Our best ‘discovery’ was made in the bar of the local pub (a licensed bowling club) by John Bonney when he started a conversation with Mr Keith Knox, a local fisherman who he had just met.

This was to lead to the unique photography we did the next day with a five meter long Green Sawfish tangled in a deepwater fish trap line and attached float.

I must have been an innocent looking ‘boy’ in those days as I was to share one of the huge rooms in the old timber house we rented with Janet and a teenage Susan Heighes (Valerie’s secretary and niece).

The three of us laughed ourselves (finally) to sleep while exchanging stories in the darkness.

Note: A picture of that sawfish, signed by Valerie is contained in ARCHIVES (click near flag) .....go to October 2004 .....then scroll to 15 October 2004.





JH on 16.01.06 @ 06:46 PM AEST [link]

MANTA RAYS ........of Lady Musgrave Island

A bommie on the northern side of the reef at Lady Musgrave is where manta rays seem to school.

On this day there were 14 swimming in an oval-shaped circut and feeding on plankton near the surface.

Note: Lady Musgrave Island is on the southern Great Barrier Reef, about 60 km offshore. Day trips from Bundaberg service the island. Camping is permitted. It is similar to Heron Island but with the advantage of a safe anchorage within the lagoon. Rules are strict these days.
www.qld.gov.au/camping

The region is known as Capricornia Cays i.e. sand cays on the Tropic of Capricorn. Maximum six people per booking.





JH on 15.01.06 @ 07:26 AM AEST [link]

SMASH ........ coral bommie impact

The bulk carrier that slid onto the reef at Lady Musgrave Island impacted with this coral bommie a near disaster of the past.

We surveyed the bomie underwater with Captain Ron Isbell of (Tropic Rover.) This is the only known image of the accident. The ship was grounded for hours before floating free on a higher tide.




JH on 15.01.06 @ 07:03 AM AEST [link]

SHIP stranded on Great Barrier Reef

JH on 15.01.06 @ 06:51 AM AEST [link]

JH on 15.01.06 @ 06:46 AM AEST [link]

SOFT CORAL

The captain and owner of the former dive charter boat Coralita Albie Ziebell told me these corals puff-up and look more beautiful at certain times of the tide.

I presumed this to be at a high tide. A great subject to find when drifting along in a current in crystal clear waters of The Coral Sea. Size of this one is about one meter in length.




JH on 14.01.06 @ 10:51 AM AEST [link]

UNDERWATER WAVE 2

East of Lochardt River, Northern GBR Nov 1983


JH on 13.01.06 @ 07:40 PM AEST [link]

OCEANWORLD Manly ......formerly Marineland

It's amazing how slow information takes to be commonly accepted. Grey Nurse sharks went into decline possibly due to divers testing the first anti-shark explosive powerheads.

In 1975 (when the above pictures were taken in Marineland) the only guaranteed place to film a grey nurse was in an aquarium. I then lived near Manly and had several swims in their tank with chief diver Bill Foster (pictured with Lady the 12 foot nurse).

We filmed such an underwater shark sequence for a Glenn Campbell in Australia TV special (with guest Olivia Newton-John). It was a few months pre JAWS the movie release and there was heaps of shark hype in the media. Filming inside the tank with a new zoom lens on 16mm film produced very nice toothy close-ups.

In February 1988 to everyone's delite, large schools of grey nurse sharks began returning the the big and little Seal Rocks area.

Forty to fifty sharks in a school! Then we were swimming with over 100 sharks on occasions. They were not happy at first and were easily spooked by even a single diver dropping in from above them.

The myth of grey nurse sharks being on the brink of extinction had been created and has persisted ever since, promoted by well-intending people, a few with vested interests making guess-timates.

Ironically, we now see unimaginable positive side-effects as a consequence of the protection given the species.


JH on 12.01.06 @ 02:27 PM AEST [link]

AMITY POINT ......the site of a shark attack

Some points about Amity Point, North Stradbroke Island – site of last Saturday’s fatal shark bite on a 21 year old female swimmer, who lost both arms to a bull shark or sharks.

Amity is also the name of the town in Peter Benchley’s fictional JAWS novel – and later a series of movies of the same title all depicting shark horror on a USA holiday town community.

Amity Point in Australia is unlike any other beach on the east coast of Australia, as it faces west- most others face east.

There is no surf at Amity Point, all the surf in around the corner on the northern and eastern sides of the island – at Amity there is just quiet and deep ocean water and a reasonably strong current especially at the actual Amity Point.

In the last 120 years at least an entire street or maybe two has vanished into the sea (Moreton Bay) due to erosion. When the above picture was taken some years ago an attempt to halt the loss of coastline was being made, (by dumping old car bodies).

There is now a sandy area, almost a ‘beach’ and this is where the girl was ‘attacked’.

A little to the south is a man-made rock wall running all the way down to a boat ramp and ferry landing area.

I snorkeled along the rock wall a few months ago. It’s a good area to find huge stone fish .

We encountered bull sharks at North Stradbroke Island during previous diving trips when they were known then as whaler sharks.

Pictures of these encounters are also featured elsewhere here (see archives) with Tanya Binning and also with Rodney Fox.

The fact that Amity Point is protected by drum lines with baited hooks is not very comforting. It has always been a sharky location and a bit of a miracle that it's taken this long for something to happen.

Because of the currents and erosion I can't see a shark proof enclosure lasting for long - if one is ever built.

Amity used to be the last place on earth one would wish to move to - too many sand flies and sharks.

The skyrocketing real estate prices at nearby Point Lookout changed all that.



See archives 14 July 2005 Bull shark underwater photo
18 March 2005 Tanya Binning and bull shark
6 March 2005 Rodney Fox with his large bull shark and Qld. groper.
2 December 2004 deadly stone fish at Amity Point
27 October 2004 Ron Taylor's Shark Fighters film show







JH on 10.01.06 @ 03:30 PM AEST [link]

ANTI-SHARK SUIT .........Sth Australian abalone divers

Rex and Dianne Bichard of Port Lincoln, South Australia where the risk of meeting a big shark underwater is high. Therefore a chain mail suit is a valid necessity if you are a professional abalone diver like Rex (pictured in his steel suit).

It was a demonstration dive, Dianne was along for the outing. That night we dined on the delicious and tender green lip abalone with the Bichard's on their property, a farm by the sea.

NEPTUNIC SHARKSUITS
The Creators of Shark Suit Technology.

In the late 1970’s, marine biologist Jeremiah Sullivan developed a flexible suit of armor for divers to wear while working around sharks. Often referred to as; Metal Mesh Shark Suit, Chain Mail Anti-Shark Suit, Steel Mesh Shark Suit, etc. Its trade name is Neptunic Sharksuit.

The device Sullivan pioneered and continues to advance is widely used by divers needing some protection against a possible serious shark bite.


JH on 10.01.06 @ 01:22 PM AEST [link]

KING NEPTUNES PARK

Vic Ley - manager and animal trainer gets up close and personal with this young sea lion.


JH on 09.01.06 @ 10:08 AM AEST [link]

KING NEPTUNES PARK .......flashback 1985

This oceanarium was at Port Macquarie for many years. Today parkland has replaced it.

Sea Safari (my 90 minute marine video) had a behind-the-scenes sequence filmed here with dolphin, a fur seal talking into a microphone, fairy penguins, crocodiles and an impressive fish tank.

Freediving champion Vic 'Snowie' Ley managed and trained the animals. With his practical understanding of sea creatures, Snowie believed some sharks might be trained to 'perform' (by offering them food) in much the same way dolphins respond. An interesting theroy?

Vic Ley began his oceanarium career with Jack Evans at the famous Tweed Heads Pet Porpoise Pool in an era when catching dolphin by hand did not require any special permits - you just did it.


JH on 08.01.06 @ 03:43 PM AEST [flashback 1985">link]

GYPSIE CAT ........travelled Australia for years

This cat was virtually born as a traveller in a car. At right - first experience with the high pitched sound of an electronic camera flash produced this reaction.

It shows how cats (and people) can adapt to their surroundings. Living in a car for example.




JH on 08.01.06 @ 03:24 PM AEST [link]

LIZARD ISLAND ......two views 35 years apart

Top picture shows a singe boat anchored in the bay, Careelah which was guiding the Belgian Naval vessel De Moor on a scientific journey with underwater team Ron and Valerie Taylor in 1967.

A resort (lower picture) was established on Lizard Island a few years later and steadily grew into probably what is the most expensive and exclusive GBR resort there is.

Visitors not registered are discouraged, although you can walk on the beach in front of the resort as far as the high tide line.

Rates are about AUS$750 per person per day!

Further up the beach is a National Park camping ground (tents just visible in the lower picture) where the rates are about $5 per day. There is a water pump too. Bookings via any National Park office are essential as there are only a few tent sites.

One time to be there is late October when the gamefishing club is operating every day and there is an enormeous October 31st party. Maybe almost 100 luxury boats drop anchor for the night.

The climate is very hot and dry at that time of year.




JH on 06.01.06 @ 03:03 PM AEST [link]

SIR MAURICE YONGE (1967)

From the top of Lizard Island Sir Maurice Yonge is pictured on the day he received word of his knighthood. A reef off Lizard Island and north of The Cod Hole was named after Sir Maurice, Yonge Reef.

It was from this summit that Capt James Cook R.N. surveyed the coral reefs he would need to navigate a safe passed between.

Sir Murice Yonge (pronounced Maurice Young) headed the first scientific expedition to The Great Barrier Reef in 1927. Here he was forty years later as a VIP guest aboard the De Moor in the Belgian Expedition.

Here this picture is, almost another forty years further down the track being seen via the internet for the first time......

to be continued......




JH on 06.01.06 @ 01:54 PM AEST [link]

LIZARD ISLAND .......before the resort and airstrip

This is how it looked. We'd heard a resort was to be built on the island. I took a guess where that might happen and clicked this frame on a Nikonos underwater camera I'd carried up the rocky mountain.

Anchored below is Wally Muller's boat Careelah. Wal was climbing Lizard Island in bare feet that day which was quite an effort as there was no track like there exists there today.

Our companion was Sir Maurice Yonge who received a telegram that morning advising of his knighthood.




JH on 06.01.06 @ 01:47 PM AEST [link]

MARINE CELEBRITIES .......Bob Dyer and Peter Bristow

At the Cairns marlin wharf, gamefishing legends. Former Kiwi with an Americanised voice Bob Dyer (rear) was a radio star that branched into television during the 1960's.

His TV quiz shows (Pick a Box) regularly featured newsreel type footage of his fishing travels. His beautiful wife, Dolly who assisted the quiz shows was always by his side. The two promoted the sea and fishing to Australians in an era before underwater photography was professional.

Bob was not adverse to catching grey nurse sharks off Sydney - after all, they were still thought to be maneaters by most people until freediving skindivers proved otherwise in the mid 1960's.

Peter Bristow (front) is a professional fisherman who saw the opportunity to cater for international game fishermen and moved to Cairns.

With companions Dennis Wallace and Peter Wright the trio were the foundation of tourism in North Queensland attracting and catering to anglers from USA - which many would agree put the township of Cairns on the international map.

Peter Bristow narrated a fishing film featuring himself, to an audience of 623 people, having never-before seen the footage! Quest for Black Marlin was included in the first Australian Underwater Film Festival held at the Union Theatre, Sydney University.

All would agree that Peter's narration, live in the theatre, (from a centre seat amongst the audience, with soft playing surf music from 5 Summer Stories) was a highlight of the show.

The real excitement in Peter Bristow's voice was evident as he watched on the big screen highlights from a fishing and diving adventure at the Ribbon Reefs south of Lizard Island.

Years later Peter Bristow was to contribute in urgent moves to having the famed (Potato) Cod Hole area protected.



JH on 06.01.06 @ 01:12 PM AEST [link]

SYDNEY HARBOUR SHARK SCARE

The underwater picture appeared in the Sydney newspaper The Sun as a page 3 warning of sharks in Sydney Harbour. It was said to have been photographed at Camp Cove beach, which was not true.

Located just inside South Head, Camp Cove is barely visible in the top picture.

A shark-proof enclosure was constructed at this harbour beach thirty years later!








JH on 05.01.06 @ 12:31 PM AEST [link]

SHARK NEWS STORIES .......scrapbook 1960's

The New Year led to death story was a 24 year old guy bought an aqualung and then vanished into the sea. His clothes were found in a parked car at Dee Why the same day he bought the equipment from a Mosman sports store.

The big shark caught in the Georges River near Oatley is called a grey nurse whereas it is really a whaler shark.

Sharks Dodge Poison was about Dr Shane Watson experimenting with his syringe to kill sharks in self defense. He later recruited skin divers to assist with this experiment. The device was mildly effective.




JH on 05.01.06 @ 10:02 AM AEST [link]

FRONT PAGE ......shark story

Page one story of March 26, 1962 - a shark chased these young spear fishermen from the water....the caption read:

A Mirror cameraman was on the spot yesterday to catch this dramatic picture of the end of a terrifying underwater battle betwen a frenzied shark and five spear fishermen off Waverley.


JH on 05.01.06 @ 09:52 AM AEST [link]

SYDNEY NEWSPAPERS 1960.......summer shark sightings

28 December 1960 YOUTHS STRAND SHARK, KILL IT WITH SPEARGUN

Five youths yesterday drove a 10ft shark on to water covered rocks and killed it with a spear gun after it had twice tried to attack a woman bather at Shelley Beach near Manly.

'Like a Terrible Dream'

The shark was one of many which menaced bathers at Sydney and coastal beaches yesterday.
A man his wife and two children threshed their way to safety after two sharks swam between them at Chinaman’s Beach.

An eight foot grey nurse shark made a rush at two men swimming near The Spit bridge.

Maroubra lifesavers rescued a man convulsed by stomach cramps soon after the shark alarm was sounded.

Pyrmont residents reported that two sharks one about 15 feet long had cruised the foreshores for the last few days.

Three young spear fishermen killed a 6 foot 6 inch carpet shark off Clovelly Point.

A Newcastle surf club member speared a shark 300 yards from swimmers at Bar Beach.

Schools of 10 to 15 sharks appeared at Wollongong and other South Coast beaches……
(Continues)


CARPET SHARK INJURES MAN

Brisbane, Sunday. A spear fisherman had a grim 15-minute struggle this morning to escape from a five foot Wobbegong shark which had clamped its jaws on his right leg.

He is spear fishing club president, Bob Webb, 27 who is a former Australian underwater spear fishing champion……..(continues)



SHARK’S FIN GASH DIVER’S RUBBER SUIT

(A story from Perth about a Peter Marks spearing a five foot long carpet shark and getting into trouble when his dry suit filled with water and a strong current carried him away).



MAN DODGES WOUNDED 6.5 foot SHARK (another Wobbegong story Editor)

“We were fishing for rock cod off Clovelly Point when we sighted the shark in about 15 feet of water.

We fired spears at the shark but it just turned over and brushed them off. Then it swam toward us.

My friends fired again from closer range and hit the shark as I scrambled out of its path.

We dragged it onto the rocks”.



STINGERS

An invasion of violet-colored jellyfish drove hundreds of swimmers from Newcastle beaches.

More than 700 people were stung including about 400 at Nobbys Beach.





JH on 05.01.06 @ 09:43 AM AEST [link]

WHITE POINTER TEETH

A close-up shows upper teeth of a young white pointer shark that was about three meters in length. These upper front teeth are slightly larger and more triangular than those on the sides and also those of the bottom jaw.

White pointer teeth are about double size to that of say tiger sharks (from identical sized creatures), and maybe three times larger than that of most other common and dangerous sharks i.e. whaler sharks.

The serrated teeth match the toughness of their intended prey. With white pointer sharks that could be whales and their relatives, and of course other sharks.

Many (or most) highly experienced Australian east coast divers share a common opinion that legislation placing a protective ban on white pointer sharks while still permitting chumming (or burleying) to attract these dangerous sharks for cage diving was both a silly experiment and a mistake.

Too late.





JH on 05.01.06 @ 09:35 AM AEST [link]

DAVID BELLAMY .......environmental backflip?

I photographed Professor Bellamy at OceanWorld Manly, in Sydney when he presented a flawless 90 minute talk to 300 patrons despite having a sore throat.

The highlights I wrote about from that evening's talk (published in Dive Log) warned of the future hazards of - was it air pollution or global warming?

i.e. "Should China or India start to dig up and use their dirty bown coal deposits dire consequences would result for the world".

Professor David Bellamy today does not believe global warming is anything new - it is a yo-yo of rising and falling earth temperatures that has been occuring for thousands of years.

Read what he wrote for a British tabloid newspaper well after visiting Australia:

"The link between the burning of fossil fuels and global warming is a myth. It is time the world's leaders, their scientific advisers and many environmental pressure groups woke up to the fact".

Read the full text at: http://www.junkscience.com/july04/Daily_Mail-Bellamy.htm


JH on 04.01.06 @ 12:09 PM AEST [link]

WHAT IS THIS?

Answer revealed in pictures below!

JH on 03.01.06 @ 05:10 PM AEST [link]

WHALE SHARK safe in Australian waters

Two views of the same animal. The small fish are young golden trevally who appear to be pushed along by a pressure wave.

JH on 03.01.06 @ 05:07 PM AEST [link]

TAIPEI SHARK CONFERENCE

The first English newspaper I picked up carried a front page banner news piece on the shark conference being held over four days.

Fifty of the worlds’ leading shark experts were in Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China) for a major exchange of grey-matter info.

Organised by Wild Aid (San Francisco) and funded by the Taiwanese government, the conference sought to address the waste associated with live shark de-finning amongst many other issues including whale shark meat consumption.

Many of the speakers were very interesting and informative, but not all. Over the three days I found myself nodding off during some of the talks presented in a United Nations style with interpreters in booths and ear phones available for the audience.

Printed materials in English and Mandarin were separate with identical information. The inclusion of a purchased library picture of a shark purported to have been de-finned by fishermen was a mistake. It was not a good example or not even an accurate one by Taiwanese standards.

The several professional fishermen in the audience used this as a good lever to highlight a weak point in the entire argument against them. (Coastal fishermen do not waste shark barrels, whereas tuna boats with limited freezer space, and months of time at sea, would find it unprofitable to freeze low grade shark meat in preference to marlin or tuna).

Wild Aid was attempting to show a link between Taiwanese criminals in South Africa and a series of murders there connected with the international shark fin trade. The crucial ‘evidence’ (a VHS documentary film) arrived just minutes after conclusion of the last day’s events. Too late to be of any help.

A dozen of us watched the video on a TV in the foyer but it was too late to tender as evidence.

The bottom lines were the next conference should standardize the computers being used and we must talk more with fishermen for our research information (or words to that effect).


Great lunches were provided (lobster and abalone) and a dinner held in a top hotel wound up the events.

JH on 02.01.06 @ 01:20 PM AEST [link]

WHALE SHARK UPDATE


Mr Hua-hsun Hsu National Taiwan Ocean University described data from 3 out of 4 sharks that were tracked using position and temperature recording satellite tags showed movement patterns into the NW Pacific and the islands of Taiwan.

Initial analysis show they might use boundary / geotropic currents to aid movement.

The sharks occupied water of from 24 to 33°C also dives to colder and deeper waters of 6°C; Distances traveled:
Between locations: 14.8 to 18.7 nautical miles per day. Average swimming speeds 1.14 to 1.44 km/h.

Maximum speed over short distances 11. to 12.97 km/h…….


Claire Davies The occurrence of whale sharks aggregate after the mass spawning event of endemic red land crabs, Gecarcoidea natalis, on Christmas Island, (Australian Territory Indian Ocean).

The sharks feed on crab megalopa and mysids during November to March.

Efforts are underway with EcOcean and Parks Australia North to confirm this link with food pulses.


(this text: whale shark conference 2005)


JH on 02.01.06 @ 12:54 PM AEST [link]

Taipei Shark Conference (cont.)

Newspaper coverage of the earthquake that struck just before lunch.

Australian CSIRO scientist John D Stevens was in the middle of his presentation when the floor began to rumble and move, as though everything was aboard a railway train slowly moving.

Several of the delegates bolted for the nearest exit.

CSIRO and whale sharks:http://www.cmar.csiro.au/research/sharks/whale/index.html


JH on 02.01.06 @ 12:49 PM AEST [link]

MAKING DOCUMENTARY MOVIES

The underwater 16mm camera (above in 1974) is a Beaulieu with a 100 foot film load (2 minutes and 44 seconds running time at 24 frames per second).

Lens is an Angenieux zoom 9.5mm to 57mm. A lighter and smaller zoom than others in the same genre. Underwater I rarely zoomed more than to about 15mm.

Above water it was the lens used to record marlin jumps that appeared in the feature film Islands in the Stream (with the camera running in slow motion at 64 frames per second, hand held with the zoom set at about 25mm).

The underwater case or housing is one of several made for me by John McConnell in Sydney. (Aqua Sea Products).

The reflex viewfinder of this camera gave me a tiny viewing area, about the size of a five cent coin! Better than nothing at the time, but very difficult. A guide for framing. Focus was all pre-set.

This was one of two units I used to record most of Australian Seafari and other documentaries. Film costs were high for a private person like myself, but we managed.

When The Leyland Brothers began making a TV series using super8 film instead of 16mm – it suggested we might try something similar.

The super8 was later transferred to professional format of one inch video tape for delivery to the TV network, which was acceptable.

The small Eumig Nautica underwater super8 camera I bought in 1980 (below) seemed like the answer, especially when the motor speed was adjusted to run faster than the standard 18 frames per second. Anything faster and closer to 24 frames per second would do the job.

Like the Nikonos still camera, the Eumig Nautica did not require an underwater housing. The camera itself was water resistant.

I shot most of the Sea Safari (a video release documentary) using these cameras. The cheaper film costs allowed more scenes to be shot and consequently some good material was obtained.

Perhaps we’ll edit this material in 2007 and see what is worthwhile for use then? But there is no hurry.

Video cameras have surpassed film cameras in the ease of operation and quality given.

HOWEVER the colour and lasting quality of movie film, especially Kodachrome, means it will be around long after the video tape has faded and been lost to deterioration. The only long lasting memories will have been on film.



JH on 02.01.06 @ 07:47 AM AEST [link]

CROCODILE INVASION .......North Queensland

North Queensland, especially the very far north, is crawling with saltwater crocodiles. They are a greater risk than sharks and stinging jellyfish.

There has not been as many in the past 50 years as there is now.

Crocodile’s have even moved into the ponds of Port Douglas - which adjoin a 5 star golf course.

“It is only a matter of time before someone gets into trouble” said Rhonda G Smith a local former crocodile tour watching operator.

“A three-meter long croc came out of the pond to bite a golf buggy that a Japanese man was riding in, it gave him one hell of a fright. He was shaken but unharmed".

“The croc’s will get wiser and more fearless, then someone is going to get hurt – it is only a matter of when, not if, an accident will occur” added Rhonda Smith.







JH on 01.01.06 @ 02:42 PM AEST [link]

DIVE WITH BIG FISH ..... near Lizard Island

This famous location on the Ribbon Reefs (north of Cairns, Qld.) used to have more than a dozen HUGE cod.

They were only there because of the regular hand-feeding by charter boats and divers.

A pair of two-meter long moray eel took up residence also.

That was the beginning of many problems for the cod.

After an eel made a mistake and bite the arm of a tourist (so severely the arm was later removed) authorities had to act.

The eels were removed – and perished in the process.

With less feeding of cod now occurring the majority of the former population has moved elsewhere.

A few remain, but none as large as this big one encountered by Christine Danaher during their hey-day.






JH on 01.01.06 @ 01:47 PM AEST [link]

TATHRA WHARF .......New South Wales south coast

A 1960 picture of the old wharf. In subsequent years it fell into serious neglect before locals established a Save the wharf fund.

The Bob Grounds diving company seacoatings.com.au helped save the underwater piles.

At nearby Merimbula a similar wharf was demolished in 1977. Due to public protest, it was rebuilt to serve as a tourist fishing platform nowhere as large or versatile as before.

Lyndy Newlyn (pictured) was discovered by a photographer at Merimbula near the wharf on a New Years Eve. She later appeared in advertising for quality spearguns in the magazine Skindiving in Australia, and still returns to the south coast for summer holidays regularly.








JH on 01.01.06 @ 07:04 AM AEST [link]