SPEARFISHING AUSTRALIA ......prize catch
Ken Campell, John Harding and Kay Milburn made the Sydney evening newspapers with this fish, the 24 pound Australian spear fishing record Snapper
JH on 29.06.06 @ 07:30 PM AEST [prize catch">link]
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Thursday, June 29th Ken Campell, John Harding and Kay Milburn made the Sydney evening newspapers with this fish, the 24 pound Australian spear fishing record Snapper JH on 29.06.06 @ 07:30 PM AEST [prize catch">link] A NICE FISH ........ spearing of an Australian record
 The Snapper was dozing near a ledge at Jibbon Point, just off the Royal National Park near Sydney. From a distance I thought the silver body was that of the first mulloway/jewfish I had seen. With stealth I crept toward this potential prize catch for me, by swimming out of sight hidden by the reef ledge and then approaching from above – (where I should have attempted a shot). Being a 20 year-old, not knowing any better, I then swam down to an equal depth about five meters deep where the fish was positioned stationery and leveled off for a profile shot. In retrospect I gave the fish a very good chance of simply swimming away. The home made spear gun with a single flopper was still a bit rough in the trigger department too. The snapper was in a full profile position when the trigger clicked – at that point the fish flicked to face the approaching spear front-on. I didn’t see the fish move. I was so out of breath and now racing for the surface, heart pounding with great excitement. Result – my spear entered the most difficult section of these reef fish – solid bone between the eyes, it what would be the bridge of the nose. The spear should have slid either side and missed the fish altogether but didn't. It was a miracle. (The spear "head" didn't exist it was simply a point machined onto the spear shaft with a single flopper). To penetrate solid bone on a thin shaped fish (facing you) and also a moving at the same time is hard to imagine, even today with all the spear fishing experience that has followed. It was a obviously a new Australian spear fishing record we thought at the time. My boat companions were my father John senior, girlfriend Kay Milburn and Ken Campbell (Sydney Sea Hunters). Ken was more experienced than me and insisted we weigh the fish immediately. Rusty scales in storage under an old general store at nearby Bundeena revealed a weight of either 23 or 24 pounds – we chose the higher of the two choices. Spear fishing club scales a few hours later recorded an even lighter weight as the fish began to dry out – more like 22.5 pounds but still heavier than the current state record by about five pounds. The single fish introduced me to a career in the new world open to photo journalism. The Sun newspaper published a front page photo of the fish titled The Old Man of the Sea – adding in the text details "the fish was older than the man who speared it and probably a lot tougher". This wasn't so. Snapper are "A" grade fish and this one tasted like lobster we thought. The Australian Museum made a cast of the head - with regrets they did not have the whole fish. Too late, it was eaten. JH on 29.06.06 @ 06:02 AM AEST [spearing of an Australian record">link] Wednesday, June 28th CHIEF ENGINEER ........No.2 in command of DE MOOR
 JH on 28.06.06 @ 07:44 PM AEST [No.2 in command of DE MOOR">link] BELGIAN NAVY ........De Moor de better
 Lt Commander Roger LeGrande (far right) was in charge of buying stores during the expedition. De Moor was a Flower Class Corvette built in England as an anti submarine warship. Top speed was 16.5 knots. JH on 28.06.06 @ 12:50 PM AEST [De Moor de better">link] UNDERWATER CAMERAMAN .......The Belgian Expedition
 The equipment was direct from Thunderball the James Bond movie filmed in Florida. 35mm Arriflex camera's in USA housing's - a few years before dome lens ports were thought of. Diver is Pierre Dubuisson the leader of perhaps the largest and most expensive underwater filming expedition that has yet occured on the Great Barrier Reef, and it happened almost 40 years ago. JH on 28.06.06 @ 11:39 AM AEST [The Belgian Expedition">link] PORT DOUGLAS ....... beach; 1967
 A spring morning at Port Douglas, the sleepy sugar cane growing area (looking south) as it was in September 1967. The young coconut tree's recently planted on the beach frontage are now 20 meters or more high. Today it is crowded with tourists. An anti sea wasp jellyfish net has been installed for swimming. The model is Kay Overell who travelled aboard Careelah during the Belgian Expedition. JH on 28.06.06 @ 11:34 AM AEST [beach; 1967">link] Tuesday, June 27th BELGIAN EXPEDITION .......Wally Muller; Ron Taylor
 (top)Our charter boat captain, Wally Muller borrowed the skipper's cap for this picture with Corrine. Starfish scientist Robert Pearson ("viva la Belgique")on left. Barely visible (on right) is professional Brisbane diver Ivan whose steel (butcher safety) work gloves was the inspiration for the anti-shark chain male suit devised by Ron and Valerie Taylor decades later. A bottle of Becks Beer creeps into the camera - thousands of bottles of this German brew were consumed by officers, crew and guests, duty free price about $1.50 each in today's terms. (below)Ron Taylor (with beard) takes a break on the deck of Careelah between dives. This was just days before defending his Champion de Monde world spearfishing champion title in Cuba 1967. He later quit Australian competition spear fishing, feeling great pity for the fish involved. Ron Taylor and his wife Valerie are both seperate holders of the Order of Australia (AO) award from the Australian government. JH on 27.06.06 @ 03:32 PM AEST [Wally Muller; Ron Taylor">link] GANNET CAY .........Belgian Expedition in The Swains
 Dive work boats were a pair of DeHavilland Hercules and Ron Taylor's own Tradewind (2nd from left) all with 40 HP Evinrude outboards. Someone (Bernard Gorsky) left their Hassleblad camera and housing in the front of the Tradewind for many days - not the softest location for a precision instrument. Apparently it kept working. JH on 27.06.06 @ 03:11 PM AEST [Belgian Expedition in The Swains">link] DE MOOR ........ crew sport new haircuts
 French-speaking Belgian navy divers in the ward room with Corrine, one of only three girls amongst about 75 men. The girls slept aboard Wally Muller's charter boat Careelah, but visited the navy ship socially. JH on 27.06.06 @ 03:03 PM AEST [crew sport new haircuts">link] JH EXPLORING MANGROVES ......Port Douglas
 We didn't see any crocodiles in 1967 but there were barramundi being caught off the old sugar wharf in town when we tied up Careelah for repairs. (Night-tours of this same waterway are held today especially for tourists to see crocodiles meaning the reptiles have sucessfully returned, maybe even a bit too plentiful in some places)! JH on 27.06.06 @ 02:52 PM AEST [Port Douglas">link] GETTING A TOW ........ from navy ship De Moor
 De Moor took the anchor chain of Careelah for this tow north from Cairns toward Lizard Island. It seemed like a good fuel saving idea but proved costly as the tow damaged the charter boat's gearbox. We pulled into sleepy Port Douglas and spent the next 10 days having new parts machined at nearby Mossman. This was when we discovered the town - now an 'A' grade tourist resort village - especially during the winter months June to September when southern city people seek 27 degree weather and a day trip to the reef. JH on 27.06.06 @ 02:43 PM AEST [from navy ship De Moor">link] GIANT CLAM ........ Kay Overell inspects
 JH on 27.06.06 @ 02:28 PM AEST [Kay Overell inspects">link] INJURY ......... contact with Acanthaster
 Valerie Taylor learned how sharp the spines are and how easily they hurt. The pain is instant and acute. Kay Overell looks on. The crown of thorns starfish responsible is shown in the bottom picture. JH on 27.06.06 @ 02:21 PM AEST [ contact with Acanthaster">link] Saturday, June 24th Acanthaster planci ........ crown of thorns starfish
 When the Belgian Expedition reached Townsville, we began seeing the effects of Ancanthaster planci the Crown of Thorns starfish on live coral reefs. The starfish were centered north from here to Green Island, off Cairns in plague proportions on some reefs. Otter Reef was especially infested and this is where I made the underwater images that would become the biggest single selling topic in our library for several years. Everybody’s magazine broke the news in the popular press with my pictures and with text by Mike Perry. This was quickly followed by LIFE Australia with a major feature and cover. All other newspapers and magazines followed. It was a story that could not be ignored, and one the northern state government hated. The debate escalated in the following years as documentary film projects by Robert Raymond and the ABC’s Four Corners all did the own versions while the Queensland government (the Nationals under Joh Bjelke-Petersen) sought all advice available that was contrary to what scientists and especially Dr Robert Endean were stating to the media. Information sought that would prevent the spending of millions of dollars on a survey and eradication program like the survey which was to happen at Guam (U.S.A.) two years later, (and detailed elsewhere in ARCHIVES). (top)Valerie Taylor gets close to a starfish near Otter Reef, while Ron Taylor (below) inspects others with predators in an aquarium aboard De Moor established by guest scientists. JH on 24.06.06 @ 03:39 PM AEST [ crown of thorns starfish">link] Friday, June 23rd GIRLFRIEND ......of the Red Baron
 Her name was Corrine and she spoke mainly in French. A better than just nice girl who later married Pierre and hopefully lived happily ever after. JH on 23.06.06 @ 12:11 PM AEST [of the Red Baron">link] GIANT CLAM ........ Ribbon Reefs
 Kay Overell (K2) snorkels to a clam. A record of how the reef looked in 1967, soft corals vs. hard corals indicate (to me at least) that crown of thorns starfish had been through here many years before. This was the very early days of photographers exploring the reef. Northern tourism beyond Low Isles off Port Douglas was unknown. JH on 23.06.06 @ 12:05 PM AEST [Ribbon Reefs">link] PIERRE DUBUISSON......."The Red Baron"
 Underwater team leader of the Belgian Expedition, Pierre Dubuisson dubbed The Red Baron by Wally Muller. Pierre wore a bright red wet suit thought to have been used in the James Bond movie Thunderball, just recently completed. Most of the underwater equipment had been purchased from the movie lot in Florida. Pierre had written on occasions to Elvis Presley (and received a reply). He was intent on making underwater movies and hoped Elvis would be approachable. Pierre later chose to drive a truck (like Elvis’ early career choice) rather than go down an academic highway, despite the fact his father ran the Université de Liège , Belgium, financiers of the multi-million dollar Belgian Expedition to the Great Barrier Reef. Scientific leader was Prof Albert Disteche - a world expert on the PH of seawater at depth. JH on 23.06.06 @ 11:47 AM AEST ["The Red Baron"">link] THUNDERBALL ....... movie props
 Ron Taylor with some of the twin 72 cu ft tanks direct from Hollywood. JH on 23.06.06 @ 11:45 AM AEST [movie props">link] Belgians on The Reef .......Great Expedition of 1967
 Captain Wally Muller bought Careelah his first charter boat. One of his major commissions was guiding the Belgian Expedition of 1967 especially to find their way to and within the Swain Reefs. The charter boat would also be HQ for the girls on the trip who were not permitted to sleep aboard the naval vessel De Moor, mother-ship for the expedition from Europe. I was invited to be deckhand aboard Careelah paying my own food but otherwise having an enjoyable time exploring reef territory between Lady Elliott and Lady Musgrave Islands in the south, and Lizard Island in the far north. These pictures were taken with my new Rolleimarin camera, purchased after 10 days work in a sideshow tent Terrors of the Deep at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, thanks to Ben Cropp who knocked the job back and gave me a referral. (I faced hoards of angry patrons during 10 days most expecting live sharks inside a tent full of stuffed replicas). JH on 23.06.06 @ 11:27 AM AEST [Great Expedition of 1967">link] Thursday, June 22nd SHARK BITE 'CLUB'.......Henri Bource; Raymond Short
 Henri Bource became a documentary film maker in order to tell his story of surviving an encounter with the jaws of a white pointer shark, which occurred while snorkeling with sea lions after a scuba dive. His lost the lower half of one leg. The often quoted theory "sharks mistake divers for seals" doesn’t add up. Sharks bite whatever they wish, it’s their way of investigating prey and food. It doesn't take a mistake to make a shark bite or taste something, they do it all the time. Raymond Short had an unfortunate encounter with a female white pointer shark while swimming at Coledale Beach, south of Sydney. The recently-mated shark apparently remaining attached to his leg even during the rescue. He sustained an extensive injury which healed well. This unique pair of shark bite recipients met for an exclusive photo session while Henri (left) was filming the Savage Shadows documentary adventure film. These pictures are published for the first time. JH on 22.06.06 @ 11:39 AM AEST [Henri Bource; Raymond Short">link] Wednesday, June 21st SPEAR FISHERMEN .......Peter Kemp; Rodney Fox
 JH on 21.06.06 @ 09:32 AM AEST [Peter Kemp; Rodney Fox">link] Tuesday, June 20th SHIPWRECK ....... silver drummer
 JH on 20.06.06 @ 07:56 PM AEST [ silver drummer">link] Saturday, June 17th TERRY MORRISON ....... also known as 'Frog Terry'
 Maverick who fought against the 4-day dive course mentality. "I believe in the absolute importance of snorkeling (able to reach 30 foot depth) as pre-requisite for scuba tuition. I believe scuba diving tuition has de-evolved to a money-spinning exercise devoid of ethics and morality (when it comes to qualifying a diver’s competentance). I'm passionately interested in philosophy, psychology, education. I believe that by enlightened education we can become one with the sea, our environment and ourselves". JH on 17.06.06 @ 01:18 PM AEST [also known as 'Frog Terry'">link] Thursday, June 15th MARLIN ........a spear fishing dream
 Trev Collins and his black marlin, taken from the sea using an original CO2 powered Sea Hornet speargun, while visiting The Group at Point Lookout, Queensland. He was working from the John Gillies boat Soverign. Journalist Mike Perry was a writing a story about the team. Bad luck occured the following week. They returned (from Sydney but without the reporter) to salvage scrap brass tubing from the old WW2 Rufus King shipwreck at nearby Amity Point. A large wave swamped the Gillies boat and the lot went underwater. The black marlin capture was re-constructed moments after the real event and appears in Aquarius - People and Wildlife of the Sea. JH on 15.06.06 @ 04:40 PM AEST [a spear fishing dream">link] Wednesday, June 14th PETER KEMP ........Flinders Reef Qld. 1965
 JH on 14.06.06 @ 08:58 PM AEST [Flinders Reef Qld. 1965">link] OUTRIGGER CANOE ........New Guinea
 Locals from the eastern tip of New Guinea sail to tiny Egum Atoll out from the former district capital of Samarai. The sail of the canoe has been hand-woven from palm leaves, while the craft itself is held together without using any metal fastenings. Melanesian-Polynesian in origin, some their ancestors are considered thought to have sailed from Formosa (Taiwan) many centuries ago. Traditional canoes are rapidly being replaced by fiberglass and aluminum, along with the skills required to build them. This craft appears briefly in a documentary film Voyage to the Coral Sea now part of the Screensound collection. JH on 14.06.06 @ 04:06 PM AEST [New Guinea">link] Tuesday, June 13th SEA CAVE .......southern Queensland
 Exploring a cave at low tide......Richard Swansborough now of The Entrance, New South Wales and Irvin Rockman of Melbourne, both captured in this (1969) image, published here for the first time. The cave is locally called the bat cave and is at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island. JH on 13.06.06 @ 09:46 PM AEST [southern Queensland">link] Friday, June 9th CORAL SEA MEMOIRS .......catching and diving with fish.
 (left)Roy Muller (Wally's eldest of two sons) gaff's a large barracuda for Jocelyn Edwards. (right) Dianne Widdowson was hostess aboard Coralita shown here at the Yongala shipwreck site. JH on 09.06.06 @ 10:12 AM AEST [catching and diving with fish.">link] KING........ of the Coral Sea
 We often mention the former charter boat Coralita and her captain, Wally King of the Coral Sea Muller. Our stories are far from being complete as more pictures are being found regularly. (See more in our ARCHIVES). Pictured here with second wife Denise who was the chef aboard having acquired those skills working on a Barrier Reef island resort. Coralita was sold and much later lost for some years following an accident. She has been restored and now operates under a new name. JH on 09.06.06 @ 10:04 AM AEST [ of the Coral Sea">link] Thursday, June 8th PRO LONG-DISTANCE SWIMMER ......in Sydney Harbour
 Ron Taylor (far left with his Bolex 16mm camera), Valerie Taylor (looking into water at Rose Bay), 27 year old blonde Mary Margaret Revell (center), her manager Keith (right) She wanted to swim all the great challenges of the world, Gibraltar, New Zealand's Cook Straits, The English Channel. Now Mary Margaret Revell was about to conquer Sydney Harbour, not so difficult a swim but the harbour waters were still thought to be full of sharks. It was 1965 and a few people had been chewed by big sharks in these waters. The warm-up promotional swim was across The Heads - the entrance to Sydney Harbour. The news media were there when she arrived on the beach at Camp Cove on the southern entrance after a swim commencing at 7AM from North Head. Three days later it was the longer swim. Manly wharf to a point near today's Sydney Opera House. Three experienced divers were in the water as shark guards swimming nearby and with loaded .303 powerheads on spear guns – in retrospect a greater danger (especially if carelessly handled) than any inquisitive shark. A newspaper hired us to take underwater photographs - thereby owning world rights to any shark attack picture should such an unfortunate event occur. Sydney Harbour was more polluted in those days with sewage from North Head reaching Manly and Balmoral beaches regularly. Visibility wasn't brilliant. It was winter too. Our full length wet suits helped but the new innovative stitching leaked. Even with fins/flippers we found it hard to keep pace with Mary-Margaret, none of us snorkel divers did the entire swim without a rest. JH on 08.06.06 @ 11:39 AM AEST [in Sydney Harbour">link] A SWIM ACROSS 'THE HEADS' ....Sydney Harbour
 Mary Margaret Revell shadowed by a news press boat, nearing the South Head of Sydney Harbour. Winter 1965. Miss Mary Margaret Revell (also known as Mary Revell) - "Professional Long Distance Swimmer" (self-employed; she holds an impressive 8 world records, including her swim of the Strait of Messina in Italy; from Detroit, MI) .....via Google. JH on 08.06.06 @ 11:26 AM AEST [Sydney Harbour">link] Wednesday, June 7th TAKE ME TO THE PILOT
 Irvin Rockman at the controls of his Cessna above Port Phillip Bay in March 1966. JH on 07.06.06 @ 05:19 PM AEST [TAKE ME TO THE PILOT">link] IRVIN ROCKMAN ......with Rolleimarin camera
 On location at Flat Rock (QLD) about 1967 with one of his first camera’s, a Rolleiflex medium format camera in the Rolleimarin housing - as designed by Dr Hans Hass. Irvin’s book Underwater Australia featured many full page color photographs made with this fine unit. As a businessman Irvin Rockman launched the Parkroyal Motor Inns in Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane, then a boutique hotel - Rockman’s Regency. He served as a two term Lord Mayor of Melbourne from 1977. These days, especially in winter Irvin can be found in the warm waters of New Guinea experimenting with underwater digital camera’s and obtaining excellent results. The picture below: Tonight show host Don Lane (left) shares a happy moment with Irvin during his campaign for re-election as Lord Mayor. Also a pilot and former athlete - but it is his love of all things in the sea that is the constant lure for new adventures under the surface in exotic destinations. JH on 07.06.06 @ 12:12 AM AEST [with Rolleimarin camera">link] LORD MAYOR .........underwater photographer
 JH on 07.06.06 @ 12:07 AM AEST [underwater photographer">link] |
