SHOVEL NOSE 'SHARK' ....... Cook Island underwater
JH on 17.02.07 @ 03:55 PM AEST [Cook Island underwater">link]
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Saturday, February 17th JH on 17.02.07 @ 03:55 PM AEST [Cook Island underwater">link] BEFORE DIVE BOATS ...... The Surf Ski
 These guys had paddled out to Cook Island, off Tweed Heads, New South Wales to spearfish. One diver with twin Porpoise brand scuba gear. About 1961. JH on 17.02.07 @ 03:48 PM AEST [The Surf Ski">link] AUSTRALIAN SKINDIVERS MAG. ..... Giant Groper issue 1964
 Back in those days most divers were spear fishermen. The challenge everywhere was for big fish. The giant Queensland groper the obvious ultimate quest. In all tropical waters these giants, elephants of the sea inhabited every tidal river and underwater cave. Scores were taken and often wasted. Just 25% of the fish’s original weight is recovered after filleting. Peter Kemp (a world class spearman known for big cod catches) landed his 338 pounder near South West Rocks In New Caledonia Gilbert Thong beat Peter Kemp’s world record with his 370 pounder. Near Bundaberg at Elliot Heads, Queensland, a 420 pounder became the new record for a while until this was broken with a 438 pounder from the Kepple Island area. Just what the record is today we don’t know. The fish is now protected, this has not completely stopped their demise. An example being the almost tame groper killed during senseless sport by kids who didn’t know better at Beaver Cay, off Mission Beach, North Queensland. The fish had been the pet of Captain Perry Hervey of Friendship charter boat fame. The remains were buried at Beaver Cay as a memorial. The value of such a tame giant fish, being fed daily, just under the surface to goggled-eyed day trippers is almost incalculable. A fortune. Footnote January-February 2007:Four giant groper and a large black cod are to be seen at the Fish Rock Cave dive site off South West Rocks, New South Wales – with about 100 grey nurse sharks. fathom on 17.02.07 @ 03:19 PM AEST [Giant Groper issue 1964">link] ROAR OF THE WILD ...... Adventure girl; Lin Sutherland
 Frank McWilliams (pro surfer), Robert Raymond (film producer; surfer; entrepeneur), Lin Sutherland’s TV show Roar of the Wild (5pm Saturday on Nine) finished last Saturday. A pity, we had enjoyed discussing the exploits of this young adventurer and noting how often she spoke the words “in the world”. About eight times in one episode. Australia has many aspects biggest or best ‘in the world’. We doubted the accuracy of the estimated 500 kg Queensland groper – but it doesn’t matter. It was a big fish, maybe 500 pounds or more. Occasionally the commentary went slightly out of sync with images yet Lin’s pleasant voice tones easily compensated for such minor technicalities. We hope that there will be a follow-up series soon. Lin rose to fame as a columnist for the free monthly newspaper Dive Log (available in mainly scuba stores). Lin apparently shoots video and stills like a pro and has expanded her talents to now include host, producer and script writer. Last 2004 Lin traveled to New Guinea with Ben Cropp aboard his Freedom III with crew to film Ben’s documentary of these inhabited islands off the eastern tip. That film has already been seen in a similar time slot, Saturday afternoon. fathom on 17.02.07 @ 01:41 PM AEST [Adventure girl; Lin Sutherland">link] Tuesday, February 13th SURF SCENE ....... boardriders; underwater life
 Ron Taylor's 16mm documentary combined surf with snorkel diving. Locations visited are legendary today. Double Island Point (E 153.19 S 25.93) Noosa Heads (E 153.09 S 26.39) Flinders Reef (E 153.475 S 26.975) not shown - GoogleEarth Flat Rock (E 153.552 S 27.3905) Paul Witzig was the leading surf film distributor who went on to make several surf and wind surfing feature films. Tanya Binning was a young surf girl-model who appeared in several films of note, including one directed by Roman Polanski. In her travels she met Elvis and later teamed up with surf film producer Albert Falzon (of Morning of the Earth fame). vortex on 13.02.07 @ 01:06 PM AEST [boardriders; underwater life">link] Friday, February 9th SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE ....... night view; North Sydney
 JH on 09.02.07 @ 07:41 PM AEST [night view; North Sydney">link] SILENT MOVIE MAKING ...... film editing 1980's
 Shooting 16mm film was easy - if you were able to get the correct exposures. A good tripod helped too. Film came in 100 foot spools - each lasting only 2 minutes 44 seconds. The processed film could be viewed and carefully tape spliced into larger reels for copying. The copied film was what we projected in theatres, halls and clubs. Silent films with live narration given each night. Later, magnetic soundtracks were added to the prints which made work easier. Sequences were sold for TV commercials and for use in other documentaries. This is called stock footage sales. Cost of 16mm film and processing is a bit prohibitive today. Our cameras, lens and housings are antique museum pieces. Yet those original film images could end up lasting longer than video made today. Video has the advantage of low cost and especially no dust and scratching. The color hasn't been as good as film. This is changing for the better. The other interesting point being how good (long term), Kodak's Kodachrome 16mm movie film has turned out to be. Kodachrome was the domestic product. Professionals laughed at it in the 1960's and 70's. Film companies used Commercial Extrachrome . Years later these professional films have all turned pink in color. Not Kodachrome. It's as good as it was decades ago. Beautiful original color superior to video. JH on 09.02.07 @ 08:39 AM AEST [film editing 1980's">link] Tuesday, February 6th TREASURE (1980 BOOK) ........ by diver Allan Robinson
 The Allan Robinson book is apparently still popular today with young hopeful, wreck divers. With a small print run, copies are rare and valuable. Treasure in paper form. Published 1980 by the author it details his Western Australia shipwreck discoveries and subsequent battles with bureaucracy at a time when few if any laws existed covering shipwrecks. His problems were to escalate and end with his own death just three years later. While awaiting a court verdict on a very serious (and possibly false) charge in 1983 he was found hanged in jail. Murdered or suicide? Either happens easily in a cell. A not guilty verdict was delivered a short time later. I never met Allan Robinson but several friends had. All spoke well of him, except those employed by government departments who hated him, it seems. His life and the troubles he was to cause for himself warrants a movie. Adventure, discovery, personal tragedies and even his own death while in custody. A modern day (marine) Ned Kelly who took on the authorities? Western Australia is a tough frontier. It’s almost like another country separated from the east coast by a desert. Robinson had tried to stay within maritime shipwreck law, a bit difficult with retrospective laws. His response to these became his own downfall. He should and could have just copped it sweet, but bucked the system instead. It doesn't work. After completing this book, which I found more exhausting to write than a series of dives on the Zuytdorp I went on a world trip with Lyn….back in Perth I decided to return to Karratha, the boom town of the north west……illogically I built a home close to a local policeman….. every attempt I made to be friendly was met with a blank stare or broad back. One day I confronted the policeman over the fence “Please, can you tell me what is wrong, you treat me like I have an infectious disease”. “It’s nothing personal but we have been instructed not to associate with you. I am not permitted to speak to you. I’m sorry”. The gangland type of beat-up I’d received from the police was the peak of a long harassment which obviously continues in lower key to this day…….the activities of the Western Australian police force in their relentless pursuit of (me) one man. by Allan Robinson vortex on 06.02.07 @ 09:16 AM AEST [by diver Allan Robinson">more..] Back Cover ....... Treasure is not for the finder
 vortex on 06.02.07 @ 09:08 AM AEST [Treasure is not for the finder">link] Monday, February 5th TRIAL BAY JAIL ...... former free accomodation
 We used to drive our cars and boat trailers into the cell block and camp overnight on stretchers on the stone floor. The era before a nearby camping ground was established. The cells had their doors removed. A fire had destroyed the old jail's roof many years before. A comedy sequence in Surf Scene featured myself (in pyjamas resembling prison clothing) chasing a skate boarding bikini girl (Tanya Binning) from the prison and into the bush nearby! Tanya knocked the top of both her toes in her barefooted, sped-up run over bumpy ground. Ron Taylor proiduced the fun documentary, it's mentioned elsewhere in the archives. vortex on 05.02.07 @ 06:21 PM AEST [ former free accomodation">link] Saturday, February 3rd STORM BREWING ...... Coffs Harbour
 Nothing happened at Coffs Harbour. Further north at Kyogle a lot of damage was done last Wednesday. This view is looking toward the ocean. Cloud formations like this look similar to surf seen underwater looking toward the surface. vortex on 03.02.07 @ 12:21 PM AEST [Coffs Harbour">link] |
