PRO DIVER ....... US Navy replica
JH on 31.05.06 @ 04:00 PM AEST [US Navy replica">link]
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Wednesday, May 31st Tuesday, May 30th WHALES IN DIRTY WATER ...... poor visibility
 We use the term dirty water a little too loosely. It refers to murky waters – run-off from rivers but not chemically polluted oceans. Visibility along the east coast has been declining. Housing developments, land clearing all contribute to more sediment being washed to the sea. In the far north prawn trawlers stir the bottom. Ten meter visibility on the surface but only two meters visibility on the bottom seven meter high layer that never really settles. Elsewhere cold dirty water on the bottom during a dive can happen anywhere. Water of different temperatures does not mix. Overseas, nuclear power station cooling water discharges produce an underwater river of hot water streaming for hundreds of kilometers from the source. Certain problems are associated with this. Plankton also effects water clarity and greatly reduces it. The clearest water is not on the actual Great Barrier Reef, but begins on the outside edge and especially those far offshore reefs in The Coral Sea. Seventy meter visibility (horizontally) or more out there. The clearest we once experienced was at Marion Reef, (east of Mackay, Queensland). It was a current of very clear water following some of the murkiest we’ve seen out there. Thirty foot visibility followed by 250 feet of crystal clear water, accentuated by a shallow white sandy sea floor. It was a measured observation not a guesstimate. (The length of the anchor chain from anchor to boat, the boat length plus someone swimming behind the vessel. 120 + 80 + 50 feet). That's as good as it ever was. JH on 30.05.06 @ 03:40 PM AEST [poor visibility">link] SOLITARY ISLANDS MARINE PARK
 The southern extremity of corals on Australia's east coast is within the marine park off Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. JH on 30.05.06 @ 03:10 PM AEST [link] MARINE SCENE ....Red mowies amongst coral
 Considered a cooler water southern fish, Red Morwong are affectionately called red mowies and could be the staple diet of many spear fishermen. In southern waters the mowies feed upon young abalone (5-cent sized shells) amongst other things. Recently spotted whole and un-gutted in a Sydney city fish market. Value? $15.99 kg. A more slippery or slime-coated southern variation to these red mowies is the Banded Morwong which is commonly seen tortured- held in live holding tanks at some restaurants under bright tank lights. (See that story in ARCHIVES). These Coffs Harbour red morwong therefore don't know how lucky they are! JH on 30.05.06 @ 03:03 PM AEST [Red mowies amongst coral">link] Monday, May 29th BUSH THERAPY .......bush mechanics
 We’ve talked about Northern Safari before on this blog. It was the first safari themed documentary film that toured and screened for decades around Australia. Featuring a 1948 Buick (converted to diesel) on a journey from Perth to Borooloola in The Gulf (crocodile hunting) and a return via the West Australian coast with all the hazards of the era - Australia in the late 1950's. Millions of people saw it. Even today it sells on DVD and in book form. (www. northernsafari. com) The success of this film inspired other safari films and all enjoyed good box office returns. The original film inspired me to embark on my own safari travels around and through the centre of this great nation. Perth to Alice Springs and then to the Queensland coast was my most memorable trip. Right across the centre. On ABC TV was the final episode of Bush Mechanics – probably the most under-rated and most entertaining Australian film around at the moment. The theme: outback aborigines speaking in their native tongue, (sub titled in English), racing about in conventional cars, half-wrecked, making repairs as they go – salvaged from other wrecks or from bush materials. Trading paintings for petrol and clothes, roasting snakes on camp fires (for breakfast), swapping a broken windscreen for another from a wreck car. (A bit like spear fishermen selling their catch to pay for boat petrol and rent I thought)! The native language being spoken and the sub titles used helps the viewer gain an appreciation for the true cultures of these people, without being able to gauge things against our own standards. Very clever and also entertaining. JH on 29.05.06 @ 07:20 PM AEST [bush mechanics">link] Sunday, May 28th OUTBACK .......adventure for mind and body
 At this time of year I’m usually heading north. Darwin and Broome are both good destinations for the Australian winter. At sunset, while driving north, the shadow of my 4x4 turned into this strange-looking shape as the sun set over flat terrain in the far west. Later I pulled over and off the road and set up camp for the night. A dingo howled in the distance. Maybe the min-min light would make a visit? Long drives (1000km per day) in the outback combined with these gas balls of light, that can follow cars at night, create an interesting adventure for both mind and body. Is there really a min min light? The people of Boulia in western Queensland believe so. I saw something once. It may have been a young fellow on a motor bike. Riding around in the desert in circles at 2am? JH on 28.05.06 @ 04:55 PM AEST [adventure for mind and body">link] SCUBA .......Scuba Diver Magazine
 JH on 28.05.06 @ 02:46 PM AEST [Scuba Diver Magazine">link] Saturday, May 27th Fathom Annual
 We once had second plans to publish a 200 page fathom yearbook . Advertising response was very good - written pledges for many full page color advertisements from all the previous supporters. Debbie Wallace (pictured) was a model chosen to appear in the magazine. These were test shots, the new edition would look more like one of the current surfing publications but for male and female divers, with lots of fun and glamour. It’s still a viable idea in some respects. JH on 27.05.06 @ 05:12 PM AEST [Fathom Annual">link] Friday, May 26th JANINE BENYUS ......... author of Biomimicry
 Marine biology has suddenly come a long way fast, it would be even more useful when combined with other skills. Design, architecture, innovations. Enter Janine Benyus of Montanna, a life science writer, consultant, the author of six books including Biomimicry – innovation inspired by nature. Described by admirers as one of the most innovative and imaginative people on the planet who has been touring Australia with her enlightening talks. "Australia has a million species, eighty percent of them are found nowhere else on the planet and half of them have not even been identified scientifically. What biomimicry is basically is taking a design challenge and then finding an organism/ecosystem that has already solved that challenge and literally trying to emulate the design principles that you learn. It takes a biologist working with (or becoming) an engineer, an architect or a designer to bring that knowledge to product. The importance of eco-literacy, getting people to understand how the world works, science reporting, is one of the most important things we need to do right now. There are more people listening to how life works now than I would have ever have imagined by others writing just natural history books or writing doom and gloom books about how bad things are. I think people know how bad things are. There’s still a role for people to be brought up to speed on that but for me I wanted to move into the solution space, and the conservation message comes last, innovation comes first. We’ve painted ourselves into a corner technologically, we are not as optimistic as we once were about our ability to get out of that corner. There’s a definite trust in the natural world and how it has worked. There is a knowledge gap. People are listening to science". JH on 26.05.06 @ 03:22 PM AEST [Biomimicry">link] OLIVE RIVER ......eastern Cape York Peninsula
 Not included in many guides for cruising yacht's, for some unknown reason. The Olive River has a feeling of somewhere very isolated. Forest growing to the edge of the deep river. Crocodiles too. JH on 26.05.06 @ 09:26 AM AEST [eastern Cape York Peninsula">link] Wednesday, May 24th TRUE FREEDOM .....in the tropical far north
 Ben Cropp takes his vessel Freedom III to the northern Great Barrier Reef and some Coral Sea reefs on a regular basis. Pictured Top: Swimming offshore from the Sir Charles Hardy Group where a sharp lookout for sharks is advised. A cruising tiger or whaler should appear every 45 minutes or less, unless distracted elsewhere; (below) a shallow and secure anchorage at Great Detached Reef. The hull and shadow of Freedom III shown anchored in the sandy lagoon - clear offshore ocean waters. JH on 24.05.06 @ 11:54 AM AEST [in the tropical far north">link] THE CORAL SEA .....Islands and Reefs
 Coralita when owned by Capt. Wally Muller and later by Capt. Alby Ziebell was the diver charter boat that explored Australia’s Coral Sea. A description of this territory is shown below. It is a fascinating area and a true last frontier of the sea. High fuel costs will keep it this way. Flinders Reef and Saumarez Reef is occasionally visited by diver charters today. The others require too much fuel and time. Captain Wally Muller had some favorite locations, the product of his decades of research. This information has been almost lost and now awaits rediscovery. Moore Reef he told me "had more of everything, (to offer photographers) underwater". Pictured: Typical sandy island of the Coral Sea, no tree's. The sea birds nest on the ground. These are gannets. "Located east of Australia's Great Barrier Reef and some distance off the continental shelf are a large number of reef formations and small sand cays scattered across the Coral Sea Those in the east belong to Australia (some of which form an external territory of Australia), those in the west from a dependency of the French territory of New Caledonia, while those in the northeast belong to Papua New Guinea". JH on 24.05.06 @ 11:34 AM AEST [Islands and Reefs">link] Tuesday, May 23rd HINCHINBROOK AIRCRAFT ..... 15 meters deep
 An unknown WW2 aircraft which crashed off the northern tip of the island. A wheel and engine shown here. Wings buried under 5cm of silt in places. Visibility is obviously poor. Hinchinbrook Island is located north of Townsville, Queensland and offshore from Cardwell. It is covered with dense tropical rain forest and is a National Park suitable for camping and bush walking. Other WW2 aircraft have crashed into the island's mountain nearby. JH on 23.05.06 @ 03:36 PM AEST [ 15 meters deep">link] Monday, May 22nd SEAL ROCKS SUNRISE
 View of the first beach, when one drives down the hill after a dusty road trip that deters some. The small island can be reached at low tide by foot. Nearby is the camping ground and caravan park surrounded with rainforest. JH on 22.05.06 @ 02:49 PM AEST [link] Sunday, May 21st DIVE GEAR ............ 'Virginia' (Rosie Bailey)
 The makers of underwater scooters had predicted these devices would become as popular as motor scooters on land! A slight exaggeration to say the least. Nothing worse than a flat battery when you are hundreds of meters from a dive boat. The clear face mask is the very same mask made especially for a Hollywood actor, to highlight her beautiful face underwater. Contary to popular belief, clear face masks are not favoured by professionals because they allow surface sunlight to reflect on the inside of the glass viewing port. Quite distracting for keen divers. Beginners are probably too busy with other matters to notice. JH on 21.05.06 @ 02:44 PM AEST ['Virginia' (Rosie Bailey)">link] BLUEBOTTLE STINGER ......Tathra Beach
 When the bluebottles are present, so is the clear blue ocean water. On the east coast we've called this clear water the blue current for years, but it is actually a spiral eddy. JH on 21.05.06 @ 02:27 PM AEST [Tathra Beach">link] LEOPARD SHARK .......two leopard sharks picture
 Have been wrongly called tiger sharks in news pictures! A gentle shark that prefers warmer waters. They make seasonal visits south to the NSW-Queensland border waters, such as Cook Island, where many divers get to see them. JH on 21.05.06 @ 10:03 AM AEST [two leopard sharks picture">link] Wednesday, May 17th CORAL SEA COLOR
 Waves on the surface, coral boulders below......nearby is the shipwreck The Sun. JH on 17.05.06 @ 10:09 PM AEST [link] RON ZANAGARI .....barbless spear demonstration
 In Australia we didn’t have a population of divers to support projects of the caliber that was happening overseas. No undersea habitats or 35mm movie projects like Cousteau’s The Silent World. But we did have the many adventure possibilities with the sea. Australian cameramen won the prestigious (at the time) International Underwater Photographer of the Year twice in just three years. The award was associated with an annual film festival held at the Santa Monica Civic Centre, supported by Skin Diver magazine. Ben Cropp photographed this giant tiger shark which helped him gain instant serious recognition in America. Ben was new to photography and had borrowed his colleague’s camera to record the pictures. The award served to introduce his new 16mm documentary films to North American networks who then bought them as fast as they could be produced. BC had arrived at a perfect moment when the network involved had gaps in a schedule that required new films fast. The details are described in Ben Cropp’s latest book Blood in the Water. (Mentioned elsewhere) Ron Zangari is the Queensland spear fisherman pictured, a diving deckhand for Wally Muller aboard Riversong. They encountered this tiger shark while spearing fish, mainly coral trout, in The Swain Reefs. (The original image has been altered by computer for this presentation). JH on 17.05.06 @ 11:58 AM AEST [barbless spear demonstration">link] STAN WATERMAN and AL GIDDINGS
 Signing autographs at the Man Sea underwater film festival in San Francisco, CA. Stanton Waterman (left) the master presenter of documentary films and best known for his work in Blue Water White Death and in later years, his close friendship with JAWS author Peter Benchley. Al Giddings (right) is currently the most successful of the American underwater cameramen and producers. His underwater work with the Hollywood movie Titanic was multi talented and almost breathtaking, especially the final scene. That final scene: The camera tracks along the encrusted submerged promenade deck of Titanic (as she is today), then dissolves into a recreation of how she could look - inside the ballroom area with crew and passengers. The steadycam camera passes across the face of hundreds of passengers (actors) walks up the staircase and joins the two young stars (Leo and Kate) embracing to the applause of all below. JH on 17.05.06 @ 11:07 AM AEST [link] SKIN DIVING MAGAZINES .......editors
 Fathom was never much of a threat to sales of Skin Diver (the world's largest English magazine) and it remained that way. Paul Tzimoulis (left) rose through the ranks from editor to vice president of a huge magazine company with a dozen mastheads. He had a good life of travel and adventure, once flying complimentary to the Great Barrier Reef for just a few days to see if there was any merit in doing a story for Skin Diver. (Probably evaluating the level of scuba facilities before making any guarantee to advertisers). Assistant editor Jack McKenney later flew to Heron Island for three days of intensive underwater photography, for the magazine. Then back to Los Angeles with the pictures. These were the early days of scuba and dive travel in Australia. JH on 17.05.06 @ 10:51 AM AEST [editors">link] Tuesday, May 16th DICK ANDERSON .......Diver
 As an Australian magazine editor visiting Los Angeles in the early seventies, I was a novice at international travel, yet had arrived in the USA on a one way ticket to San Francisco then Canada. I had to make a profit showing films or be in real trouble getting home. It wasn’t looking too good for a while. Shows in Hawaii went fantastic and saved us from ruin. In LA we met the ever entertaining Dick Anderson at home, and now wish to share these never-before seen pictures. A (welded) bear trap door bell was the start, inside home-made bar stools had flexible fingers with a potential message. The salvaged while diving ship’s port hole incorporated into the front door was a good idea too. JH on 16.05.06 @ 07:39 PM AEST [link] QUETTA ........artifacts salvaged 1980's.
 Artifacts from RMS Quetta recovered by scuba divers during the early 1980’s included a bed pan from the infirmary, brass lanterns and large brass port holes. Some of these goods are thought to be in private collections on Thursday Island, others went interstate or overseas. The RMS Quetta has been a protected shipwreck since 1983. JH on 16.05.06 @ 12:26 PM AEST [artifacts salvaged 1980's.">link] QUETTA ........propeller and rudder photograph
 Photo has been rotated to correctly position the prop and rudder. Ship lies on her side in treacherous waters of Cape York, Queensland. An account of the sinking is at: The Wreck of the Quetta On the balmy, moonlit night of the 28 February 1890, with a flat, calm sea and perfect visibility, the RMS Quetta was making its way up the Queensland coast from Brisbane, dropping off passengers and picking up freight, before sailing on to Europe. It was the Quetta's twelfth trip. She was carrying wool, tallow, sugar, whisky and milk to London; flour, biscuits and seeds to Batavia (now Indonesia) and hides for Port Said, as well as bags of mail. JH on 16.05.06 @ 12:01 PM AEST [propeller and rudder photograph">link] Monday, May 15th CLOSE UP IN A CAVE .......Pixie Pinnacle
 North of Port Douglas, Queensland is this popular stop for charter boats on 5-day dive cruises. JH on 15.05.06 @ 07:22 PM AEST [Pixie Pinnacle">link] Sunday, May 14th DR. ALBERT BEHNKE ........at Man Sea 1970
 "No one knew what caused the "rapture of the deep," or narcosis, experienced at depth until in 1935 Dr. Albert Behnke, a Navy submarine medical officer, proved it was nitrogen. JH on 14.05.06 @ 02:37 PM AEST [at Man Sea 1970">link] DICK ANDERSON ........Californian gold diver of the 1970's
 I interviewed Dick Anderson for fathom and arrived at his home hoping to get a glimpse of a huge gold nugget he was reported to have found using a dredge. To our amazement the nugget was sitting there, on the dining room table when we arrived. The story got sidetracked and never went to print in fathom. SKIN DIVER had already run it over three pages but that wasn't the reason we didn't get around to it. Dick Anderson was and maybe still is the most entertaining of the Californian divers with many interesting stories up his sleeve. JH on 14.05.06 @ 01:56 PM AEST [Californian gold diver of the 1970's">link] UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY .......Cameraman John Harding
 With new Zodiac boat and Johnson outboard motor plus a recently acquired 16mm underwater camera housing, all thanks to good attendances at the Australian Seafari film shows in New South Wales licensed clubs. Our preferred underwater lens was the French made 5.9mm Angenieux on a Beaulieu camera. JH on 14.05.06 @ 11:57 AM AEST [Cameraman John Harding">link] SEA SNAKE ........JH films a deadly reptile
 Olive sea snake attracted by it’s reflection in the lens. This was Centennary Reef (or St Henri Reef) in The Swain Reefs where we recorded sea snakes scenes on 16mm Kodachrome in 1974. A favorite sequence in Australian Seafari - and other films. Snapping this picture was my gorgeous assistant Jocelyn Edwards who handled the dangerous reptiles with caution for the film sequences. We were both amateurs, just city people on semi-professional adventure holiday and underwater at one of the most isolated parts of the Great Barrier Reef. Not experienced reptile handlers at all. The snakes were everywhere, difficult to avoid at this location. Joss did well. Her efforts amazed leading American film makers when our Reflections Under a Clear Surface film screened in ten USA underwater film festivals. A snake bite would put any of us in a serious situation. Traveling time back to port was at least ten hours, perhaps more as after dark navigation is not possible. Centennary/St Henri Reef (Wally mumbled the name when asked hence the confusion……I did not dare ask him to repeat himself), was named by Capt. Wally Muller – our good friend and the pioneer explorer to this part of the GBR. Authorities only retained one of Wally's reef names when satellite charts were eventually made, Riversong Cay. Recent changes are underway to add one additional name, perhaps Mullers Lagoon ......but not likely. The original explorer title place names should have priority one would assume. Footnote: The cheque for these USA shows may have been sent but was never received and cashed by us. Even worse, the returned film showed 100 percent proof it had been duplicated by someone along the chain. Hazards faced by all film makers even today. Getting paid is the difficult part of a deal. After this episode we concentrated on our own film shows and sold the tickets ourselves where possible. It was a good system and lasted for many years. JH on 14.05.06 @ 11:11 AM AEST [JH films a deadly reptile">link] Saturday, May 13th DICK ANDERSON .......California based diver
 A close associate of the old Skin Diver magazine team. He was married to Hillary Hauser (noted diving journalist) when she kindly suggested he MC our Australian Underwater Film Expo. The venue was already established by similar shows at the Santa Monica Civic Center. Underwater film festivals in the USA always seemed to have the latest Dick Anderson 16mm documentary, narrated live of course, in huge auditoriums seating 2000 or more patrons. The Anderson specialty was humor. Mac the Dog featured a cocker spaniel who could retrieve large abalone shells from the depths of a swimming pool. Divers are Nuts was his classic. . Research the history of USA diving and discover more of this unique and original personality. Demonstrating his strength on a beer can, above, at the Man Sea film festival celebrities lunch in San Francisco. JH on 13.05.06 @ 06:51 PM AEST [California based diver">link] Friday, May 12th WALLY MULLER ...... & young son Alex
 Wally had two boys who grew up with him away at sea much of the time. They became quite wild. When international guest diving charter trips aboard Coralita began, both sons went along as crew. Deck-hand Richard Weir was impressed with young Alexander's spearfishing ability and attitude toward grey reef whaler sharks. "Boo would hold fish under his arm and fight sharks away with the empty speargun" said Richard. Alexander appeared in shark films made by Ron Taylor, and received a credit in the titles. Both sons helped in other film productions as many of the world experts arrived to explore The Coral Sea with live action shark photography. The nick-name Boo stuck from an era when the then ten-year-old Muller delighted in creeping up on friends and scaring them with the sudden shout of BOO! Wally Muller (left). Alex with a maori wrasse he speared and ate JH on 12.05.06 @ 09:15 AM AEST [ & young son Alex">link] YOUNG ALEX MULLER .......Boo
 'Boo' Muller inspects a multi prong handspear head before going snorkeling off his father's charter boat Coralita. JH on 12.05.06 @ 09:00 AM AEST [Boo">link] Thursday, May 11th VIC HISLOP ......Tiger sharks of Hervey Bay
 A team of French-American underwater documentary filmmakers working off South Australia once said there were no great white sharks left to be filmed. Famed shark hunter, and shark museum owner Vic Hislop said bullshit. The white sharks were migrating north, following the humpback whales and to prove his point Vic set baits off Brisbane’s Moreton Island and caught half a dozen in just a few days. Vic proved to many that he had better practical shark knowledge than these experts but it didn’t earn him any points with environmentalists. A protective ban on catching great white sharks was to follow a few years later. It may have been a mistake. Vic would be first to agree. Pictured: Vic and former wife Tracy, at a Hervey Bay, Queensland boat ramp and a collection of tiger sharks, one already half-eaten. Caught especially for a Mike Walsh TODAY TV show near Fraser Island. JH on 11.05.06 @ 07:33 AM AEST [Tiger sharks of Hervey Bay">link] Wednesday, May 10th WADE DOAK ......New Zealander visits Sydney
 New Zealand publisher Wade Doak was visiting Sydney at the time our first issue of fathom was being printed in Hong Kong. 1971. We only had a preview copy to show him. Why I selected Luna Park as a background for this publicity picture (that was never used) was simply something different and uniquely Sydney. Dive New Zealand was the Doak publication. It was a small format magazine but miles ahead of anything pre-fathom published in our part of the Pacific. Fathom had the luxury of 16 colour pages – something unique for any underwater magazine in the world, with the exception of Italy’s Mondo Sommerso. It didn’t stay this way forever as all good things eventually have to end. Wade Doak joined the crew of El Torito with Walter Starck and enjoyed many months exploring distant Pacific destinations while making documentaries with John C Fairfax, his blonde girlfriend Sandra Greentree and musician-songwriter Terry Hannigan aboard. Wade’s passion was dolphins and he later wrote much about his experiences with them. Walter Starck formed the Golden Dolphin VCD magazine later. JH on 10.05.06 @ 06:36 PM AEST [link] DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY...... Don McAlpine
 1.The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) 2.Peter Pan (2003) 3.Anger Management (2003) 4.The Time Machine (2002) Before this Donald M McAlpine was director of photography (in other words the cameraman who photographs the movie) on some of my favourite films. Moulin Rouge (2001); Romeo + Juliet (1996); Clear and Present Danger (1994); Patriot Games (1992); Predator (1987). Many may not realise that Don McAlpine is a diver and underwater cameraman as well and is therefore probably our most sucessful in the movie business. The above picture was taken at Bloomfield Reef, in the Capricorn Group of islands. Don was filming for the Commonwealth Film Unit at the time when a large hammerhead shark appeared - probably the same shark Ron Taylor, Rodney Fox and Vic Ley encountered during a night dive some hours before. The hammerhead did not present any clear and present dangers we were aware of. JH on 10.05.06 @ 12:03 PM AEST [Don McAlpine">link] Tuesday, May 9th ABALONE DISH ......food for king
 Sliced, tenderized and fried for 60 seconds, as presented in a Mallacoota (Victoria) restaurant with a plate of Sydney rock oysters. In Chinese (Mandarin) the word for abalone translates into English as food for king. JH on 09.05.06 @ 04:33 PM AEST [food for king">link] GREAT WHITE SHARK
 It’s white pointer shark time again. They arrive on the tails of migrating whales, but perhaps some get here early? Off Coffs Harbour one slightly spooked an experienced diver recently by swimming toward him. The first observation noticed was an unusual white line in the hazy distance. The white line gradually turned into the form of a very large shark about 4.5 meters in length. Elsewhere several grey nurse sharks were seen to suddenly scatter, not at the approach of the diver, but another white pointer shark. This apparently indicates white pointers, or great white sharks (if you prefer that name) are potential predators of grey nurse sharks. Pioneer divers are commonly blamed (by well intending yet poorly informed environmentalists) for grey nurse sharks in apparent decline. Some people are re-thinking white pointer shark population figures too. JH on 09.05.06 @ 03:59 PM AEST [link] Monday, May 8th FOX OUTSIDE TENT
 The fox that visited the tent, a clearer view. (Picture below is a reconstruction, using two pictures). JH on 08.05.06 @ 10:56 AM AEST [link] FOX - CAT
 The cat and I were travelling along the coast. We camped at Hat Head Caravan Park while promoting a filmshow for the South West Rocks Country Club. Sometime during the night the cat raced back into the tent with eyes popping. Outside was a semi-tame fox the campers had been feeding regularly. I wonder if a more wild fox would eat a cat? They certainly have the dental equipment to do so. Poor fox. They always seem to look a little sad. JH on 08.05.06 @ 10:54 AM AEST [link] Sunday, May 7th TANYA BINNING ....... at Manly Beach N.S.W.
 JH on 07.05.06 @ 08:19 PM AEST [link] TEMPEST 803 40 HP Evinrude outboard
 Our second boat was this aluminium 14 footer. Designed to take outboards up to 100 HP. We managed to punch both front seats through the floor (rivets developed star cracks which required welding) much to the amazement of Steve Ballard at DeHavilland, the boat builders. Our boat appeared in two documentary films. Revenge of a Shark Victim (1964) with Rodney Fox. Surf Scene (1965) with Tanya Binning and Valerie Taylor (both pictured above). JH on 07.05.06 @ 02:39 PM AEST [TEMPEST 803 40 HP Evinrude outboard">link] JOHN HARDING (JR.)
 Left: Aged 34 East coast travelling 16mm film shows; Right Aged 17 just joined the Sydney Sea Hunters; Right below Deckhand-diver aboard Freedom III with Ben Cropp films JH on 07.05.06 @ 05:53 AM AEST [link] QUEENSLAND SEAFARI ....travelling filmshow
 This was Newcastle, New South Wales, 1976, before underwater films became easier to make with video cameras and eventually more common on TV. JH on 07.05.06 @ 05:18 AM AEST [link] Saturday, May 6th JOHN HARDING (SENIOR) .....memoirs
 Top: JMH with a girlfriend about 1936 (Potential as movie actors today)? Centre: Contact with a young goatfish. Jervis Bay 1967 - as published in PIX magazine Bottom: With a grey nurse at Seal Rocks. NSW. 1967. JH on 06.05.06 @ 09:12 AM AEST [link] Monday, May 1st David af Sandeberg (David of Sandeberg 1772 coat of arms)
 In Sweden today there is a beautiful blonde actress, Helena Af Sandeberg, A relation? One can only live in hope, but we won't hold our breath. JH on 01.05.06 @ 01:13 PM AEST [link] John Harding - (Senior) .....1915-2003
 What do divers do when the sea is rough.....silly question, they play golf. John Harding (senior) hit threeholes-in-one over a four year period. We thought the first was a bit of a fluke, but the second hole-in-one had us amazed and handing out heaps of compliments. Then he did it a third time! Our hero. As a human being "a very hard act to follow", said Valerie Taylor on occasions. They were good friends and Dad admired Ron Taylor's craftsmanship and underwater diving abilities. Dad kept his Swedish ancestory private. His mother was a decendant of a Director of the Swedish East India Company knighted by the king in 1772 for services to Sweden. David afSandeberg became a nobleman at about the time it began to meant very little in terms of power. He had built ships and castles, made a dozen round trips sailing between Sweden and Canton (near Hong Kong) on trading missions which lifted the nation's economy. Strange how it all works, I picked up an uncany interest in Chinese history and culture. Genetic memory imprint? Looking at a TV documentary about film actor Greta Gabo over the weekend, I can see how some Scandinavian girls have uniquely beautiful visual features. Our ancestor had the best of both worlds hopping between Sweden and China. Maybe we have relatives today in China? If so I'd be sharing that honour with about 35 cousins. Dad came from a large family, five girls and six boys. Normally we keep these things private, but the inspiration to share this came from an email received a few days ago from friend. Presented without editing: I have spent the last couple of hours browsing through your wonderful website! What a wonderful, interesting and exciting life you've had!! I was particularly impressed with how proud you are of your Dad and how you have treasured his memory with all the photos of him - I really enjoyed them. You know, the last couple of hours have probably been the most fun and interesting hours I have ever spent in all my life (without leaving my house) and have left me wondering what my own life would have been like if I too had lived my life by the sea exploring underwater like you! If only I had met you all those years ago!! I was wondering whether I could borrow DVDs for my children and I to watch of your documentaries - please let me know. It was great talking to you earlier tonight. I will be in touch. Again, my compliments on such a fantastic website - I have never seen so many beautiful photos of our beautiful world before in my life and it has certainly put me in a beautiful frame of mind before going to bed. JH on 01.05.06 @ 12:12 PM AEST [link] |
