TIGER SHARK teeth
Tiger sharks would have the toughest teeth of all - smaller than those of a white pointer and with an unusual three-sided shape.
JH on 20.09.05 @ 10:59 PM AEST [link]
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Tuesday, September 20th Tiger sharks would have the toughest teeth of all - smaller than those of a white pointer and with an unusual three-sided shape. JH on 20.09.05 @ 10:59 PM AEST [link] WHITE POINTER - GREAT WHITE
 Life-size, the top row of teeth from a young white pointer shark, a little less than three meters long. Extremely well designed for slicing through things like whales, dolphin, seals - and other sharks. JH on 20.09.05 @ 10:56 PM AEST [link] MANTA at Kapingamarangi
 In the crystal clear warm waters of the Eastern Caroline Islands we saw this manta performing loops. Barry Wilson is pictured enjoying this encounter (below). JH on 20.09.05 @ 10:48 PM AEST [link] GREY REEF WHALER SHARK attacks flippers
 A frame from 16mm film taken at Chesterfield Reef during that first expedition with Wally Muller. This shark was believed to be highly territorial at this remote location. It made several fast rushes at the small group of divers and snorkellers. The shark apparently resented the wet suited invaders entering its territory. No injuries occured but it was a very anxious time for those concerned. The swim fins belonged to Roy Bisson the art director at Fathom magazine. Dr Richard Ibara captured the sequence on 16mm. It appears in the documentary film Australian Seafari. JH on 20.09.05 @ 05:51 PM AEST [link] Sunday, September 18th SAUMAREZ REEF .....in Australia's CORAL SEA
 Small green turtle stranded by the low tide makes an interesting picture with the Francis Preston Blair as seen in 1974 when she was still intact. Rust and storms have since destroyed her shape. JH on 18.09.05 @ 03:52 PM AEST [link] FRANCIS PRESTON BLAIR .....aground on Saumarez Reef
 Showing the explosion hole in the starboard bow below the water line. Legend was a Japanese torpedo hit did this. Other shell holes in the hull came through target practice by RAAF aircraft. More details elsewhere in the log. Use SEARCH. JH on 18.09.05 @ 03:46 PM AEST [link] WRECK of the RUNIC photo
 Middleton Reef is at latitude 29°27'S and longitude 159°07'E We went to Middleton Reef with Captain Wally Muller in 1971 - aboard his Coralita. The voyage to Middelton, Elizabeth Reef and Lord Howe Island departed from Port Macquarie with a farewell dinner by the town Mayor. Aboard were Ron and Valerie Taylor, John Sumner his crew of shipwreck fans and others including myself. Unfortunately it was not the dawning a new era in tourism for Port Macquarie as hoped. Cyclone Colin arrived and for days caused us grave concern. It was nothing compared with Ulan two years later at the same reef. - this was the worst storm Coralita was to know. Waves broke over the Runic - which I filmed from the safety of the lagoon. We survived with the help of an antique shipwreck anchor lashed to Coralita's own anchor, but still managed to drag both some 200 meters. Middleton Reef has a shallow lagoon which is not a good anchorage for any large craft. Coralita was 79 feet in length. (Years later Wally Muller told to me something interesting: "it was the highly professional dive crew aboard that trip which saved the ship", refering to Ron Taylor and also the help of Richard Weir - the diving deckhand. I got a mention somewhere, but we all had 100% confidence in Wally - which was the main thing). With nowhere to run the lagoon was our only hope. Later we went through the biggest sea between Elizabeth and Lord Howe - with extreme rolling, but always feeling confident in the vessel. On the first expedition some of us ventured aboard Runic and filmed the interior with 16mm cameras. By the second expedition the rusty hull was thought far too dangerous. Both expeditions were included in the Australian Seafari documenatry film shows. Runic Steel refrigerated cargo liner, 13 500 tons. Built Belfast 1950. Length 561.2 x 72.3 x 32 ft. Aground Middleton Reef February 1961. No lives lost. At the time, the world’s largest refrigerated cargo liner. She struck the reef at a speed of about seventeen knots, over-riding the coral for about twenty five metres before stopping, leaving almost three quarters of her length in deep water. Eventually she swung around and lay with much of her length on the reef. On 26 March 1961 with a severe tropical cyclone approaching she was finally abandoned by the master and crew. For the next several years several syndicates stripped most of the value from her leaving the rusting remains being unsalvagable. The Runic was a stunning attraction for many years, but today far too dangerous to clamber over her once strong decks. Rusty metal may easily give way. Source:http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/middleton-wrecks.html JH on 18.09.05 @ 03:40 PM AEST [RUNIC photo">link] Captain Wally Muller......picture
 Photographed on the eve of departure for first Australian shell collecting and diving expedition to Chesterfield Reef. Situated in the eastern Coral Sea some 550 km west of the northern tip of Grande Terre, New Caledonia, the Chesterfield Group consists of several groups of islets and reefs scattered around the Chesterfield and Bellona Plateaux. Included in the group are the Îles Chesterfield (Chesterfield Islands/Isles/Reefs, Rêcifs et Îles Chesterfield) and the Bampton Reefs. The Bellona Reefs, 60 km to the south, are a separate formation but are usually included in the Chesterfield Group. Source: oceandots.com Details of Wally Muller and his career elsewhere. (Use the SEARCH function). JH on 18.09.05 @ 03:37 PM AEST [link] Saturday, September 17th GIANT SPIDER LOBSTER......(eastern rock lobster)
 Peter Kemp found this beaut crayfish (now called rock lobster) while competing in a spear fishing comp at Norah Head. It would have weighed about 8 kg. While it is an offense to take tiny lobsters, the same rule applies to large east coast lobsters! The big ones are now protected. It was all so much more simple in the Happy Days of diving. JH on 17.09.05 @ 04:50 PM AEST [eastern rock lobster)">link] BABY LOBSTERS ...and the SydneySeaHunters
 A happy bunch of Sydney Sea Hunters at Fairy Bower,a northern Sydney beach. (The tiny crustaceans would attract a shocking fine if you were spotted with them today). Of course these little lobsters were put back amongst the rocks to keep on growing. (left to right) Len McLeod, John-o, Bruce Brown and Rod Waters. JH on 17.09.05 @ 04:38 PM AEST [SydneySeaHunters">link] Underwater Skindivers and Fishermans Association .........USFA
FIRST SHARK ENCOUNTER
 January 1964 at Kangaroo Island, South Australia. These young guys from Maroubra, Sydney were on a big adventure, attending the Australian Skindivers Convention (a spear fishing competition in those days). Spearing fish, attaching these to a float towed somewhere behind you on the surface was the advised practice for rock hoppers, without a boat. A whaler shark seems to have chewed the tail off a dusky morwong and given the team some cheap thrills. Col Boomer (second from right) became a champion at the sport later. These were the early days not only for skindiving but for each of us. Our own version of Happy Days. JH on 17.09.05 @ 04:15 PM AEST [link] Friday, September 16th 'QUIET' MAORI WRASSE
 The giant wrasse were once a sought target and a challenge due to their timidness. It was almost impossible to get close to these big fish in open water. Most were speared when they took refuge within a coral bommie 'cave'. Consequently when scuba divers stopped spear fishing (due to regulations) it was amazing to see these fish approach us, (when we stopped chasing them)! The first tame maori wrasse pictures came out of The Red Sea when hard-boiled eggs were offered for food. Gradually tame wrasse appeared on the Great Barrier Reef, first in the Whitesunday Islands then later north of Cairns. This fish was/is a resident at The Cod Hole, near Lizard Island or Number Ten of the Ribbon Reefs. JH on 16.09.05 @ 12:26 PM AEST [link] USAT LIBERTY SHIP hull number 1230 Francis Preston Blair
 Liberty ships were being launched at the rate of one every day to ferry supplies for the war effort. Many were sunk by submarines. Cameraman Walt Deas reports (August 2005) "Francis Preson Blair has now totally collapsed". Liberty Ships built by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II Liberty ship was the name given to the EC2 type ship designed for "Emergency" construction by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II. Liberty ships, nicknamed "ugly ducklings" by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The first of the 2,751 Liberty ships was the SS Patrick Henry, launched on Sept. 27, 1941, and built to a standardized, mass produced design. The 250,000 parts were pre-fabricated throughout the country in 250-ton sections and welded together in about 70 days. One Liberty ship, the SS Robert E. Peary was built in four and a half days. A Liberty cost under $2,000,000. The Liberty was 441 feet long and 56 feet wide. Her three-cylinder, reciprocating steam engine, fed by two oil-burning boilers produced 2,500 hp and a speed of 11 knots. Her 5 holds could carry over 9,000 tons of cargo, plus airplanes, tanks, and locomotives lashed to its deck. A Liberty could carry 2,840 jeeps, 440 tanks, or 230 million rounds of rifle ammunition. Liberty Ship Crew Liberty’s carried a crew of about 44 with 12 to 25 Naval Armed Guard. Some were armed with: • One 4 or 5 inch stern gun • Two 37 mm bow guns • Six 20 mm machine guns About 200 Liberty’s were lost to torpedoes, mines, explosions, kamikazes, etc. during WWII. ] Liberty Ship List with Launching dates The list is by full name including initials and includes the Maritime Commission Hull Number for all Liberty ships built. WSAT stands for War Shipping Administration Transport; the number in parentheses . USAT stands for Army Transportation Service, and indicates the ship was chartered or operated by ATS. AK, AP and similar designations denote US Navy commissioned ships Liberty Ships built by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II Libertys carried a crew of about 44 and 12 to 25 Naval Armed Guard. Some were armed with: • One 4 inch stern gun • Two 37 mm bow guns • Six 20 mm machine guns About 200 Liberty's were lost to torpedoes, mines, explosions, kamikazes, etc. during WWII. 1945 Pacific Ocean and Hong Kong & Shanghai (14 ships) Date Ship Type Cause Result Location Deaths 01/11/45 Pontus H. Ross Liberty Kaiten manned Torpedo Damaged Pacific None 03/13/45 Russell H. Chittenden Liberty Split Total loss Pacific None 03/14/45 Esso Washington Tanker Grounded Total loss Pacific None 03/31/45 Matagorda Freighter Collision Unknown Pacific None 04/21/45 Sarenzen Freighter Grounded Unknown Pacific Unknown 05/01/45 Stony Point Tanker Strafed & fire Damaged Pacific None [Crew and AG wounded] 05/12/45 Cuba Victory Victory Collision Damaged Pacific None 05/12/45 Saginaw Victory Victory Collision Damaged Pacific None 07/15/45 Francis Preston Blair Liberty Grounded Total loss Pacific None JH on 16.09.05 @ 09:36 AM AEST [link] LIBERTY SHIP ..... purchased by RAAF for practice attacks.
 Considerable live ammunition was left aboard the ship in 1945 when Francis Preston Blair a 7,196 ton Liberty Ship went aground on Saumarez Reef. The following year another group of Australian divers visited the ship and detonated the ammunition by fire. Other salvage divers from Australia are thought to have stolen the huge four-blade bronze propellor. (June 1973. RAAF takes delivery of F-111C aircraft). "A few days later Wing Commander Funnell and Flight Lieutenant Bushell flew the first bombing mission at Saumarez Reef". JH on 16.09.05 @ 09:31 AM AEST [link] LIBERTY SHIP Francis Preston Blair (cont.)
 Bob Grounds explores the deck where practice bombs punched through before exploding below. The holes blown in the side of the ship provided an entry point for us. photo copyright JH on 16.09.05 @ 09:23 AM AEST [link] LIBERTY SHIP ....Francis Preston Blair (cont)
 The cabinet once held ammunition for the deck gun. Much was stored below. Ron Taylor holds his sturdy 16mm Bolex movie camera, we walked cautiously over the badly rusting deck. In later years it was not possible to explore the ship like this anymore. JH on 16.09.05 @ 09:20 AM AEST [link] FRANCIS PRESTON BLAIR ...shipwreck (cont.)
 Legend says the ship was firing at a Japanese submarine when she ran aground on Saumarez Reef. An explosion hole in the bow below the waterline,appears to have been caused by a mine or a torpedo and NOT a practic bomb. US authorities stated by letter in 1965 the grounding was not due to enemy action. Perhaps they got the name of the ship wrong? Many Liberty ships were lost due to a variety of causes. To be continued..... JH on 16.09.05 @ 09:17 AM AEST [FRANCIS PRESTON BLAIR ...shipwreck (cont.)">link] GIANT MAORI WRASSE at Saumarez Reef
 Bob Grounds in October 1964 during the first spearfishing safari to Saumarez Reef, The Coral Sea reef almost on the Tropic of Capricorn. Picture published today for the first time anywhere. The huge 120kg (approx) wrasse was weighed in sections while being filleted aboard the licensed fishing boat. A better quality shot by Ron Taylor was the cover of Australian Skindivers Magazine in 1965 which included the adventure. Today there is a campaign by publisher Michael Aw (of Scuba Diver magazine) to save these fish, which is a good thing. Back in that early era, knowledge and thoughts of the future were entirely different. There was no diving history, no study of coral reefs by divers to guide anyone. NOTE:Ron Taylor made a 16mm documentary of the expedition aboard Wally Muller's fishing vessel Riversong. The film included the shipwreck USS Francis Preston Blair was initially designed for television but also found a good audience in cinemas packaged as Ron Taylors Shark Fighters programme. The giant wrasse could not be included in Taylor's film being taken late afternoon when available light was poor for reasonable color film recording. (Bob wears a Ron Taylor-made wetsuit custom made. Ron Taylor was in his first years making an income from a variety of small enterprises. These wet suits were of superb USA material and carefully made to a perfect fit. The French-style attached hoods were warmer and sensible. No zips meant a friend had to help you get out of the suit. A minor task we all accepted). Bob Grounds tried professional abalone diving for several years after this before becoming a Singapore- based oil rig diver until about 1973. Today his Sea Coatings diving company saves timber wharf piles from further rot and worm attack. The historic wharf at Tathra NSW is an example. JH on 16.09.05 @ 08:00 AM AEST [link] FIRST ABALONE DIVER...Bob Grounds
 Bob Grounds knew there was a market for abalone many months before anyone else we knew in Sydney. He recruited friends and worked the southern waters of Tasmania and Victoria sucessfully for several years in those early days when prices paid were a fraction of todays values. Abs were shucked at sea aboard small boats in cold conditions. A paint scraper being the tool here. Note Bob's blood - minor injuries were regular. De-shelled abs were salted in their own juice, kept in plastic bins for a few days, then trucked back to city for sale to Asian exporters. All vastly different to what happens today, including the rewards which are now about twenty times higher for the same weight. But there are now far fewer abs. This now historical picture was near Tathra on the south coast of New South Wales. JH on 16.09.05 @ 12:14 AM AEST [link] ABALONE BED Tathra - New South Wales
 This is how it used to look in southern New South Wales. JH on 16.09.05 @ 12:03 AM AEST [link] Thursday, September 15th GIANT CLAM of the Ribbon Reefs
 Captain Wally Muller moved this giant clam to a better place. The girl is Kay Overell who was aboard Careelah - during the Belgian (filming and scientific) Expedition to the Great Barrier Reef. JH on 15.09.05 @ 11:51 PM AEST [link] Tuesday, September 13th HAYMAN ISLAND - millpond 100km offshore
 Valerie Taylor and Vic Ley about to go for a dip. Cameraman Ashley Lazarus was a South African based film director making a modest budget cinema commercial featuring the Great Barrier Reef. It was his first visit to Queensland - he had fantastic weather thanks to a cyclone further south that had all the winds concentrated down there. At Hayman Island we had seven days of mirror-calm conditions 100 kilometers offshore aboard privately chartered Island Gypsy. Later in Sydney, dive magazine editor Jack Evans selected this shot for a possible cover on his Australian Skindivers Magazine. It was lost and not delivered. Then Jack Evans quit his position and went overseas. The picture was recently found and is presented here for the first time. Valerie has since gone on to become an even more famous Australian. She's a recipient of The Order of Australia medal, with many other awards overseas. copyrighted by JH on 13.09.05 @ 02:19 PM AEST [link] Tuesday, September 6th BIG LOBSTER at Seal Rocks
 Ron Ford with a 7kg lobster he caught off Sugarloaf Point lighthouse. This is the first beach visitors see upon arrival. A holiday camping ground is opposite. People once camped on the actual beachfront in tents. Squatters shacks were in the bush too but gradually they were removed by authorities. Big lobster like this are now protected and have to be returned to the sea as they are the key breeding stock. JH on 06.09.05 @ 03:15 PM AEST [link] SEAL ROCKS VILLAGE New South Wales
 Across the street from Mrs Horgan's shop is this view of the 2nd beach where local pro fishermen land their catch through the surf in boats of various size and vintage. Net and trap fishing for school fish and lobster has been the industry here. Steadily it all has been going into decline. When grey nurse sharks began re-appearing in large numbers (more than 100 in a school) at the offshore islets known as big seal and little seal (rock) the door opened for regular commercial scuba school visits. The divers became detectives with cameras keen to record anything. Obviously sharks with hooks in their mouths was a newsworthy subject for magazine articles. Set lines for wobbegong sharks also became photographic evidence and steadily a case for the complete protection of grey nurse sharks state wide was established and later introduced. The regulations banned fishermen from working near the shark habitats - territory which they had fished for decades. No compensation for fishermen was considered. JH on 06.09.05 @ 03:09 PM AEST [link] MRS SEAL ROCKS
 Mrs Horgan at work in a store that had a time warp. Things have since changed, but not as fast as elsewhere on the coast. JH on 06.09.05 @ 02:51 PM AEST [link] Monday, September 5th Grey Nurse (cont).
 These are the sharks so popular with marine aquariums. They look mean and they live well in captivity. With a sinister name that was borrowed to describe any beach shark attack in the 1930's, it took decades before the seperation between species and their names was established. To many people it came as a surprise to learn that: grey nurse sharks were not the same maneaters as white pointer (great white) sharks. Consequently the first people to dive with grey nurse were thought of as: fearless heros or complete fools that didn't know any better. 'Many grey nurse sharks ended up as boneless fish fillets in the old fashioned fish and chip shops of Newcastle' said former Australian champion spear fisherman Peter Kemp this week. The same could be said for wobbegong sharks. There was a time when the great Brian 'bruno' McKenna and his side-kick 'the toad' (paid us the equivilent today) $20 for each speared 'wobbe' - delivered whole. (Especially during any USFA spearing competition in the Sydney area when we were all together for one Sunday each month). JH on 05.09.05 @ 07:53 PM AEST [link] MRS SEAL ROCKS
 Mrs Horgan owned and ran the Post Office store at the tiny village of Seal Rocks for most of her life. She loved the town and the dusty road in from the main road - which kept many city visitors away. Mrs Horgan resented development. Few dared to challenge her strong view that the township with a population of 200 should ever change. Well those days are gone, and so is dear Mrs Horgan...."Mrs Seal Rocks". She kept a 'visitors to her shop' book, which would be a who's-who of champion surfers, divers and VIP visitors. It is a 'colony' of grey nurse sharks offshore at the two small 'seal rocks' that has made the area popular and world famous. Years ago, sea lion (seals) were residents at big seal rock - gradually their numbers dwindled away to zero, along with the grey nurse sharks. In 1988 the sharks made a dramatic return and have been regulars since. But not without many hazards which has now resulted in protection for the species. It could be said that Sea Rocks was where it all began - greatly assisted by the wonderful photography of husband and wife diving team, Ron and Valerie Taylor who are part-time residents here. JH on 05.09.05 @ 07:51 PM AEST [link] Sunday, September 4th JEWFISH a magnificent pelagic species
 Also known as a Mulloway more in books more than common speech. Jewie, and Jewies being the common terms used in Australia. A quality fish, similar-looking to the northen barramundi. The jewfish swim in schools, once seen numbering by the hundred in the early days. Legendary spear fishermen Wally Gibbins and Vic Ley recently spoke to each other of their exploits and success with these prized fish. Vic said to Wal "My best spearing catch was 25 jewies in a day" to which Wal replied "my best catch was five with a single shot". Described in detail, "the speargun was a high powered gas gun - home made that could hit fish from a distance of ten meters away". When a school of big jewies swam past Wal, he fired. The spear passed clean through four big jewies, (like the one pictured here). Jewie number five fell off but was mortally injured and was caught. On another occasion Wal speared a 60 and a 62 pounder with a single shot! These were the foundation days of underwater activities and such exploits will never again be so easily achieved. Not that it was easy....but it was possible then, not today. The fish are just not that common anymore, and the underwater skills have changed. New priorities too. Today some girls snorkel dive to depths of 70 meters. (More than double what these legends did). Pictured above: Brian Davies with a nice Jewfish he caught at Seal Rocks NSW JH on 04.09.05 @ 04:34 PM AEST [link] CROWN OF THORNS STARFISH
 A giant and very old Acanthaster planci starfish - "the largest I've seen" said scientist and friend Dr Robert Endean of the University of Queensland. "Possibly more than 230 years old too" he said at the time, commenting that such a creature "could have existed on the reef as a juvinille when Australia was being discovered by Captain James Cook". Located in Fitzroy Reef lagoon (near Heron Island) by Captain Ron Isbell, the starfish could always be found on the same coral bommie. We found it within minutes of starting our dive. A sister photograph to this picture became the first tourist postcard to show a CoT - a remarkable achievement and gamble by the publisher. The northern Australian tourism industry had brushed crown-of-thorns starfish reports under the carpet for years while the problem got worse. Today starfish control grants help dive teams keep the situation in check. JH on 04.09.05 @ 04:04 PM AEST [link] ALBY ZIEBELL 1949- 2003 Barrier Reef Cruises
 Captain and 2nd owner of the world famous charter boat Coralita, was Alby Ziebell. He purchased the vessel from legendary pioneer Wally Muller and ran international dive trips from 1985 to 1991, a professional operation specialising with The Coral Sea destinations. Initially the home port was Yeppoon. Alby soon realised that the northern city of Cairns had more potential and an international airport so the family moved there. Wife Irene, children Ian and Rickki. Amongst his more significant underwater discoveries were schooling hammerhead sharks at Osprey Reef. Previously in Tasmania, while working as a professional abalone diver he found a small bottom-dwelling hand fish he later collected and studied. A previously unknown species it's now called Zeibell's Hand Fish. Also an accomplished uw photographer his beautiful pictures were in demand especially by high quality publishers. Alby died while returning from a fishing safari to remote country north of Cairns. After quitting dive tours he had turned his skills toward tackle fishing. Like everything this was mastered and Alby became a recognised authority in that field as well, with many friends and admirers. Alby had a regular radio spot, ran marlin fishing expeditions and boat charters and enjoyed the ecological enjoyment of catch and release fishing. To be continued...... JH on 04.09.05 @ 03:41 PM AEST [Barrier Reef Cruises">link] Friday, September 2nd VISITORS ARRIVE at Kapingamarangi Atoll
 JH on 02.09.05 @ 09:56 AM AEST [link] Thursday, September 1st US NAVY SEAPLANE .....Guam 1969 and today.
 It took hours for the aircraft to be packed at the airbase in Guam. While waiting I went wandering around the tarmac and got 200 meters or more from our aircraft with a 16mm movie camera in hand. It was a mistake. I came very close to being possibly arrested and perhaps then charged as a potential 'spy'. It was no joke. I had under-estimated the seriousness of wandering on military property without supervision. The Vietnam war was then happening. Guam was a base for B-52 bombers which were bombing North Vietnam daily. It was serious stuff. I was questioned seriously by a huge, high-ranking, cigar-chewing officer, with a grim expression on his face. My Australian accent was no novelty to this dude - he was very serious indeed and not happy with me being where I was, walking around in the open, alone. If the film in the movie camera (and elsewhere in my luggage) had been processed I'd be in as much sh*t as a Guantanamo Bay prisioner today, I've often thought. Potentially the most foolish mistake I've ever made. Days before I'd passed through the airport at Saigon en route to Guam via Manila and had ignored inflight instructions not to film or photograph anything at the airport when we landed. The VC had lobbed mortars in recently and blew up some Phantom jet fighters parked wing tip to wing tip. Now there were cement hangars protecting the aircraft. The sky above buzzed with aircraft and helicopters. Everything was at work, even some DC-3's. Explaining why I had 'sensitive subjects' on unprocessed rolls of film would have been difficult, (no reason, just working-holiday home movies)! I was simply naive and seeking some adventure. Plenty was ahead anyway. Flying with the US Navy was the most exciting and memorable event of all. Five take-off and five landings, most of them on water. One with JATO. (Jet Assisted Take Off). One of the flight crew, a navigator J. 'Mac' Halliday, perhaps from Memphis, who also has a birthday in November, suggested I take his turn in the cockpit and 'fly' the Hu-16 during the return trip. What a thrill. One of the best experiences I've ever had. (I'd like to thank 'Mac" again if contact could be made via this site). UPDATE on GUAM (USA) November 2005 By Robert Marquand (Staff writer - The C.S.M). ANDERSEN AIR BASE, GUAM – This 30-mile-long volcanic island appears on a map like stray bit of tropical spackling flung out in the Pacific. Honolulu is eight hours east, Tokyo four hours north, Hong Kong and Jakarta four hours west and south. The rest is ocean. Guam has been a sleepy supply depot for decades. But it is now becoming known as the "tip of the spear" of US Pacific forces. This US territorial outpost no longer means just "fuel and ammo" but "subs and bombers" as well. US more cautious than wary as China's reach grows Some officers say Guam's new priority is a result of diverse missions in the Pacific, like tsunami relief. But most agree it has its source in the "unknowns" in East Asia - code language for Pentagon concerns about the rise of China - with its claims on Taiwan and rivalry with Japan - and a region with friction over oil rights, plus North Korea. "Guam hasn't had a continuous bomber presence since Vietnam," says Lt. Col. xx a flight operations officer here. "But things changed two years ago." At that time, about 12,000 military aircraft were landing on the longest runway in the Pacific. Last year, that figure was 26,000. Bulldozers are flattening earth for a second parallel runway. Parked wing to wing on Andersen's tarmac are seven B-1B Lancer bombers with names like "Night Hawk and "Live Free or Die." Their gray swept-back forms now carry JDAMs, or guided munitions. Each plane carries the payload of three B-52 bombers, the military's cargo workhorse. JH on 01.09.05 @ 04:00 PM AEST [link] PROJECT STELLAROID ........Destination: Kapingamarangi
 Richard Chesher's organisation in Guam provided us with a brand new Zodiac inflateable boat, air compressor, scuba tanks, fuel, 20 HP outboard, camping equipment and ........a bag a film (pictured in the cooler bag), one ton of new equipment. Four of us, plus the seaplane crew of four, plus a couple of extra's along for the ride. The seaplane was loaded to the max. This was to present problems with the water take-off's, later. JATO rockets helped but other hazards developed. It was a dangerous travel mission. Later there were many stories of near-miss accidents. At one stage all the spare seaplanes were 'out of commission', giving us extra time on the islands. JH on 01.09.05 @ 03:42 PM AEST [link] Hu-16 ENGINE PROBLEM........Truk Island
 We landed just moments before a tropical thunder storm and heavy rain hit the airstrip. When the aircraft engine cover was removed to investigate an unfamiliar sound, part of the manifold fell onto the runway. This delayed us at Truk for three days while repairs were made. The bonus of this being a dive alongside the Philippe Cousteau filming team. They were documenting the Japanese underwater graveyard for the Jacques Cousteau TV series. None of the French team (except Philippe) spoke English - which was how it was in their early days. I was intrigued with their anti-shark billy - a stout one meter club with nails at the blunt end. Grey reef whalers were presenting a diving hazard in those times, but not so today. Sharks have become educated. JH on 01.09.05 @ 03:29 PM AEST [link] RICHARD CHESHER ......... USA marine scientist
 Richard Chesher PhD (standing) speaks to Peter Wilson (Micronesia fisheries). Alongside are Australian's Robert Endean and GT Harrison (right). This meeting/gathering at the University of Guam was to prepare some of the world's leading coral reef experts and divers/photographers for their assignments. Two of the Australians present were selected to survey underwater the polynesian atoll coral reefs at Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro. (Mentioned extensively elsewhere - more for anthropology than for coral eating starfish - whose presence was fortunately minimal). "I organized a survey of the north Pacific from Hawaii to Palau, and the Northern Marianas Islands to Kapingimarangi. The expedition was supported by the U.S. Department of the Interior and managed by Westighouse Ocean Research Laboratories. I headed a team of 69 diver/scientists that were divided into groups of 10 and sent out to survey conditions in as many locations as possible. Bob Endean said, right away, that he thought that the cause of the starfish explosion was because the tritons were overcollected. Other biologists, including me, thought this unlikely. But now, after investigating the infestations nearly 30 years, I think Bob was right after all. Or partly right. Certainly the tritons are the major predator on the starfish. And they are overcollected, even endangered or locally extinct, in most areas of the Pacific." JH on 01.09.05 @ 11:22 AM AEST [link] |
