Best Job in the World winner Ben Southall stung by lethal jellyfish

The man who landed what was dubbed "the best job in the world" as the caretaker on a tropical island off Australia has been stung by a lethal jellyfish.

Briton Ben Southall, who beat 34,000 applicants to secure the position, was stung during his last week in the job by a peanut-sized Irukandji jellyfish.

Writing on his blog, Ben said: "Now I’ve spent nearly six months here in the tropical paradise that is Queensland and so far I thought I’d done particularly well at avoiding any contact with any of the dangerous critters that consider this part of the world their home.

"I’ve avoided being boxed by a kangaroo, nibbled by a shark and bitten by a spider or a snake – but then in my final few days on Hamilton Island I fell foul of a miniscule little creature known as an Irukandji.

"I was enjoying a post Christmas jetski session with some friends at a quiet beach on Hamilton Island and as I climbed off the back of the ski and onto the beach felt a small bee-like sting on my forearm."

Ben said within minutes he was advised to see a doctor, adding: "I was feeling pretty hot and sweaty, had a headache and felt pretty sick too. This was not what I’d wanted at all and had caught me little off guard to say the least – I’m supposed to be relaxing in my last few days on Hamilton Island.

"I’d had a minor brush with what can be a very serious jellyfish. My slight knock was enough to tell me that it’s not something to be messed around with and I really should have been wearing a full stinger suit, as it recommended at all beaches here at this time of year…even if you’re in the water for just a couple of seconds as I was!"

baby seal found in back garden - 18 miles from the sea

A family who found a baby seal in the back garden of their Kent home 18 miles from the sea have named her Rudolph.

The pup, which the RSPCA said was less than a year old, was in the Dwyer family's garden in Benenden on Monday morning when they let out pet dog Jack.

It is thought the seal got into the stream from the River Rother, which meets the English Channel at Rye.

The RSPCA is now caring for the seal, which has been renamed Gulliver, at Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre near Hastings in East Sussex.

Keeper Elaine Crouch said baby seals often became separated from their mothers in bad weather such as storms or floods.

"She has a a tag from Belgium, probably put on by the rehabilitation centre at Ostend, then she got into the River Rother and ended up in the stream."

Fantastic finds in International Union for Conservation of Nature Seamounts expedition

A team of the world's leading marine experts have returned from a six-week research mission above the seamounts in the Indian Ocean with amazing new discoveries.

The scientific survey was organized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature to examine eco-systems around underwater mountains and volcanoes.

Known to be hotpots of biodiversity, seamounts attract a range of oceanic predators, including seabirds, whales and sharks.

“I am extremely pleased with the data that we have collected and the number of species that we have encountered," said Dr Alex David Rogers, Chief Scientist of the Cruise and Senior Research Fellow at the Zoological Society of London.

“The diversity of species that we sampled is higher than what I would have expected. Some species have been recorded for the first time in the region, and we hope to have found some species new to science.

It was also very interesting to discover that the six seamounts we surveyed are very different from each other, and I believe our findings will certainly improve our global knowledge of seamount ecosystems."

The Norwegian research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen left on 12 November from Reunion island, and travelled 6,000 miles in 40 days to study five seamounts on the southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and one seamount further north on Walters Shoal, south of Madagascar (read blog and diary here).

“It is gratifying to know that this work is not an isolated scientific trip, but will directly feed into conservation and management recommendations,” said Sarah Gotheil, Programme Officer with IUCN's Global Marine Programme.

“Through our study we hope to confirm the conservation benefits of protecting seamount features on the ridge. This will inform future management of deep-sea ecosystems in the high seas globally”.

In total, nearly 7,000 specimens have been collected and labeled, from two-metre long fish to tiny crustacean larvae. They include an impressive variety of fish, shrimps, squids and gelatinous marine creatures. Many more microscopic species of phytoplankton and zooplankton, representing the base of the food chain in the ocean, have also been collected.

Sharm El Sheikh scuba diving video

Well here it is, the premiere of me first underwater video.

I didn't think I needed the red carpet or a world first at Leicester Square, just a quiet opening and hope word of mouth catches on.

But with some movie Avi-something-or-other about blue people that looks a bit like Dances With CGI by that bloke that made that rubbish underwater movie Abyssmal*, I'm not expecting big grosses at the Box Office.

On a serious note, as the newspaper industry is pushing more on the multi-media front and I am producing more web-based video content, I thought I would have a little play for myself with the video function of the Canon G9 underwater to see what I could come up with as a little movie of our diving holiday.

On the plus side, the quality of the video footage (technical that is, not necessarily the camera work) isn't bad and I'd like to think the editing is okay, thanks to idiot-proof Windows Movie Maker (although I do prefer Adobe Premiere we use at work).

But I did learn that if underwater videos are something that you want to take a tad more seriously then a lot more footage is needed and some planning needs to be made as to what you want and how to get it.

I hadn't planned for any entry shots so in the end had to make do with some stuff filmed for a bit of fun by my wife while she stayed on board for one of the dives; the hustle and bustle of the port is not particularly well captured from the boat; and there is nothing of anyone getting their kit together or the dive briefing.

Also with the wealth of marine life down there, I didn't capture as much of that as needed, as I seemed more intent on stills than video.

That said, I am really proud to have captured the giant shoal of glass fish and the ray at the cleaning station.

Keeping the camera still and avoiding too much panning/movement makes things neater and it would also pay to have a much bigger memory card. That way I could have started shooting and left it running, rather than creating a wealth of short clips, that would have given more scope for playing when it came to editing.

That said, I did enjoy the experience of shooting and editing and it has given me more ideas for next time. Hope you enjoy. Any hints, tips comments greatly appreciated.

* In all seriousness, The Abyss really has to be the best underwater movie ever.

Or do you prefer Finding Nemo........?

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou..................?

Or Fools Gold with the lovely Kate Hudson?

What about Into the Blue with Jessica Alba and some other people?

Or maybe you are old school and prefer The Deep with Jacqueline Bisset? Discuss.

New underwater pics

After a few dives in Dosthill trying to get to grips with the settings on my Canon G9 I tried my luck during a trip to Egypt.




I'll post a few of the underwater pics here. Let me know what you think and any suggetions on how I can improve.








Also check out my surface interval on facebook for some more of the images or zip through the slideshow opposite.




While they're not great by any stretch, they are certainly leaps and bounds beyond my first efforts a fewyears back.
Then my pics were just different shades of blue with tiny specs of grey that were fish. Honest!

I'm back

It’s been a funny two months and I would first ask if you please forgive me for being somewhat absent but proposed changes at work have zapped an enormous amount of my time.

Things are still not finalised but the picture has become a lot clearer and the future looks a bit more certain.

Despite the difficulties, my diving has not diminished - it’s the one guaranteed release from all of the stress - and I have racked up plenty more time blowing bubbles.

And there’s been a lot happening in the blue world while I've been otherwise detained.

Palau has declared itself a shark sanctuary - and begs the question if a tiny island nation can recognise the dangers and act WHY can’t the rest of the world.

The Maldives government held a cabinet meeting underwater to raise awareness of global warming - - begging the question, if a tiny island nation can recognise the dangers and act WHY can’t the rest of the world.

Stoney Cove sank a new wreck - begging the question.......oh no, nothing for the rest of the world to learn there.

And some mad Turkish diver has broken the world record for the spending the most amount of time underwater.

I've also just come back from two weeks of sun, sea and diving in Egypt where me and fantastically excitable Hungarian instructor braved pumping currents to dive the sites missing from the guidebooks (more on that in the next few days) and some of the best diving I've done for a while.

Well, it’s nice to be back and I will be posting with my usual regularity before too long.

Oh, and thanks to a Divemaster I met while away, I have decided to complete my Open Water Instructors course (more on that in the next few days as well).

So it's off to hit the books again.

Shop for Marine Reserves

BY choosing where we shop and letting our feelings know, we can slowly influence retail chiefs over the products they stock.

Concerted campaigns by the likes of the Marine Conservation Society and Bite-Back has helped take endangered marine species off the shelves of some big players.

But thanks to the MCS and Co-Op you can have an instant say about the future of our seas.

Over the coming week, Co-op will be promoting marine reserves by asking customers to vote for them at the check-out - with a simple click on a chip-and-pin machine in answer to the statement "I support marine reserves to help sealife - Yes/No".

They did a similar exercise in February at over 2,000 stores nationwide, and netted 298,000 messages of support for marine reserves in just one week.

According to the MCS, it really makes politicians sit up and listen.

In an email, the charity said "This is a critical time, as the final debate for the UK Marine Bill will take place in Parliament when MPs return from the summer recess; the bill should become an act in November.

"At present it has no mention of marine reserves. - just "marine conservation zones" which, astonishingly, may allow people who cause harm within them completely off the hook!"

According to the charity's campaign if things don't change marine ecosystems will degrade further and fish catches to continue to decline due to over-fishing.

In order to protect the marine environment Co-op and MCS support turning with 30 per cent of UK waters into marine protected areas or designated as no-take reserves.

Marine reserves have proved effective in helping ecosystems and fish populations recover from the effects of over fishing and habitat destruction. They also increase fish populations outside their boundaries through what are known as ‘spillover’ effects.

Which means better experiences for us divers - no one wants to dive to the sea bed without the chance to see the amazing life that exists down there.

So If you haven't already, please go to the MCS website http://www.marinereservesnow.org.uk/ and add your voice to strengthen the UK Marine and Coastal Access Bill and ! protect our marine wildlife.

Celebrity chef Rick Stein stops selling shark

VICTORY for the seas - Rick Stein has stopped selling shark.

But more on that in a mo. First a quick apology for not being here for a while - but diving and working have zapped much of my time in the past fortnight.

I spent a couple of sessions showing new Aquasport instructor Tim around Dosthill Quarry and which areas we use for students' training and on both occasions we saw the massive pike.

If only I had taken my camera. Down deep and dark left something to be desired what with poor viz but it was interesting freely navigating around the bottom - but we did hit all of the 'sights' that Dozzie has to offer.

But back to business and a breakthrough for marine conservation charity Bike Back.

After eight months of unrelenting pressure they have finally got celebrity chef Rick Stein to stop selling shark meat at his restaurants in Padstow, Cornwall.

Campaign director Graham Buckingham, said: “The message is getting through to businesses that sell shark products. Already we’ve seen restaurants, supermarkets and health-food stores take Bite-Back’s message on board and change they way they operate in favour of dwindling shark populations.

“In the developed world, people baulk at the thought of buying or owning a tiger skin rug or ivory. Now the race is on to achieve the same mind-set for the purchase and general consumption of certain marine life including shark, swordfish, marlin and turtles.”

Despite the success, he pointed out that his restaurant continues to serve fish including Hake, Haddock, Skate and Plaice – each identified by the Marine Conservation Society as being ‘at risk’.

Underwater photographs using Canon G9's full manual settings

Okay, before I start, I acknowledge that these are in no way shape or form fantastic underwater images. They are not even good if I am completely honest.

But, they do represent a start for me in getting to grips with my Canon G9's manual settings while scuba diving and a better understanding of some basic principles.

First, and perhaps most importantly, lets get the setting right. These were taken in Dosthill in about 3m worth of viz. I've not really tested myself with adjusting the manual settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO) before so everything was a learning curve of trial and error. Also nothing image-wise was planned, three of us jumped in armed with cameras and started blasting away. And these are a few of my efforts.

Practical things I've learned:

Challenging oneself with three independent functions while also scuba diving was a tad tricky and I would have been better off trialling one first but you don't learn until you give it a go.

You need a lot of patience to get things right.

Taking a white balance before each image is now second nature but I found a white slate left the colours looking a a bit harsh and found using the palm of the hand might be better.

The intensity of the built-in flash can be altered to make it softer or stronger. Don't forget that.

The two images of the perch who was happily hanging about the bottom of the buoyed line that drops onto the house are perfect demonstration of the wrong settings.

The fish didn't want to leave the safety of the line and, like a clown fish darted here and there every time the camera was pointed at him.

Unfortunately, catching him with a bit too much flash left left almost burnt out areas of white on his underbelly and near his mouth. Slightly less flash might have softened the images more.



As the next three images show, while white balance returned the right colours to the underwater realm, the poor viz meant there was still too little light to capture a crystal clear image, hence a bit of blurring as the fish darted around, caused by a shutter speed that was too slow.

Closing the shutter speed down, got a sharper image (below) but left the image darker than those above. A strobe which can be angled around the camera is a must.
I was surprised by how little backscatter was created by such a large unit used by my buddy by carefully angling it when taking different pics.

Dosthill itself is not short of atmosphere and the next two pics, of the buoyed line down to the old pump house and the reeds at two to three metres give two different natural-light perspectives to different parts of the quarry.

The reeds are where we find the population of pike. Below is a jack pike. Hopefully instinct will help me approach a scene with the right camera settings in mind but the best I could get here ended with the rear of the pike giving off too much white reflection and the blue background of the water becoming almost black because of such a short shutter speed.

As the next image shows, the G9 needs a wide angle lens. In poor viz situations the camera just cannot capture a wide enough shot of a diver behind the Parcelforce van. The G10 offered a wider image but a compact fitted with a wet wide angle really opened up the image a lot more.

So, nothing to worry Tom Peshak or David Doubilet but we've all got to start somewhere and despite the issues with each image, I've learned a few things and discovered that there is the possibility of getting decent images even in somewhere like Dostill Quarry.

You'll be afraid to go back into the water!

Hands up those who want to go cage diving with great whites in South Africa.

Some fantastic footage doing the rounds on email might make you think different (or maybe not). It shows a two ton, 15 foot Great White barreling into a diver's cage in Mexico.



Phew! That was a lucky escape. I still want to go cage diving though!

Scuba divers break Guinness record in Indonesia

They must be mad. Normally scuba divers are trying to find a quiet bit of ocean to enjoy the peace and tranquility. But not this lot.



AFP newswire reported that almost 2,500 scuba divers set a new world record Monday for the largest mass dive, Guinness World Records said.

A total of 2,486 divers were involved in the bid off the coast of North Sulawesi for the record for "Most People Scuba Diving Simultaneously."

The previous record was set in the Maldives in 2006, which attracted 958 divers.


The challenge was part of efforts to establish the Sulawesi town of Manado as a world-class tourist spot and mark Indonesia's 64th Independence Day.

Helicopter scuba diving

If the Caribbean Island of Curacao didn't have enough to tempt scuba divers, it has just added the ultimate thrill - “helidives”.

Niels Jorissen, owner of Dive Charter Curacao, has been taking adventurous divers to their dive site on his helicopter.

Jorissen said the experience is unique with the divers dropped into the water from about ten feet. After the dive they jump on the dive boat waiting to pick them up.

But at $250 a go, it's quite expensive.

Scuba diving the M2 Part 2

The M2 submarine has a special place in the hearts of British scuba divers.

The intact vessel that lies intact and upright in 34m-ish of water in solemn tribute to the bravery of submariners everywhere.

The wreck, covered in marine growth from spending 70 years on the seabed, it's conning tower now populated with shoals of fish where the crew once stood, and one grainy black and white image is the window we have into the world.

Until now. Thanks to Rich Doram (who dived the M2 with us last month but stayed down much longer than I managed) we have another glimpse with the video tucked away on YouTube.



For those who might not have seen the earlier post, the M2 was fitted with a small Parnall Peto seaplane in a hanger located in front of the conning tower. The idea was for the plane to launch, complete it's mission and be winched back abroad so the sub could dive without the enemy knowing where it had come from.

Unfortunately, the sub was lost with all crew in 1932.

Thanks to BomberGuy who posted the vid, there are a few more details of the plane, the M2 and the accident which I shall quickly recap here.

The aircraft was launched using a compressed air catapult mounted on the forward casing of the submarine within a few minutes of surfacing and recovered using a crane, such as on the HMS M2, after landing alongside.

After the accidental sinking of HMS M1 in 1925, M2 and her sister M3 were taken out of service and reassigned for experimental use. She had her gun removed and it was replaced by a small aircraft hangar to carry the small seaplane.

The M2 left her base at Portland on 29 January 1932, for an exercise in West Bay. Her last communication was a radio message at 10:11 to announce that she would dive at 10:30 am. The captain of a passing merchant ship mentioned that he had seen a large submarine dive stern first at around 11:15.

The submarine was found on 3 February, eight days after her loss, the hangar door was found open and the aircraft still in it.

Two explanations for the sinking have been advanced. The most popular is that since the crew were always trying to beat their record time for launching the aircraft, they had simply opened the hangar door on surfacing whilst the deck was still awash and it flooded taking the sub down to the seabed.

The other theory is that the flooding of the hangar was due to failure of the stern hydroplanes.

The normal procedure for launching the aircraft was to hold the boat on the surface using the hydroplanes whilst the hangar door was opened and the aircraft launched because of the time needed to clear the ballast tanks.

Failure of the rear hydroplanes would have sent the stern down as observed by the merchant officers and water would have eventually entered the hangar.

The submarine currently lies upright on the sea bed at ( 50°34′34″N, 2°32′55″W) OSGB36.

It's worth checking out the YouTube vid as there are some messages from relatives of the crew.

Tributes in scuba diving tragedy

THE heartbroken families of two divers who died off the coast of North Yorkshire have paid tribute to the men.

Stephen John Bailey, 49, of Filey, and Malcolm Exley, 52, of Scarborough, died after getting into difficulty eight miles off the coast of Filey on Monday (AUG3).

In a statement, Mr Bailey's wife Helen and children Anna and Robert said he learned to snorkel on a family holiday in 2003 and discovered Filey Diving Club soon after.

"As a family we know that whatever tragedy occurred there would be no question of one not aiding the other and that in itself brings a glimmer of comfort to us all," the statement said.

Mr Exley's wife Dot and their children Karen and Gary said: "He loved being part of the diving club, he loved diving and we take comfort in knowing that he died doing something he loved."

Coral painkillers - bad news for scuba divers?

Researchers have discovered that a compound harvested from soft coral off the coast of Taiwan could provide a new treatment for pain from damage.

A study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology suggests Capnella imbricata, or Kenya Tree Coral, could provide relief where traditional painkillers can't.



Dr Zhi-Hong Wen from the National Sun Yat-Sen University has been testing a chemical isolated from soft coral collected at Green Island, a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean.

More studies are now needed to see if this could offer a new way to treat the condition.

Dr Wen said: "Today there are few pharmacological agents that can help people suffering from neuropathic pain, but we believe that these marine-derived compounds could lead to the development of a new range of drugs of great potential."



Which leads to an interesting dichotomy. Coral reefs are already under threat from a multitude of different sources, rising sea temperatures, increased acidity, pollution, coastal development, over fishing, crap divers.

Hell, the doomsayers say the Great Barrier Reef will be gone in 20 years due to warmer waters, whereas I say the Red Sea reefs will be gone in the same time due to clod-hopping foreign f**kwits who walk all over it or crash into it.

But if corals offer a potential pharmaceutical benefit, do the world's powers start taking the issues that affect our oceans more seriously in order to preserve the coral reefs? In which case we might all benefit.

OR do they simply plunder the world's reef systems that are so crucial to the planet's health and well-being for a short term gain as has befallen Africa and any number of important rainforests?

I know which one my money's on and I'm gonna make sure I dive the Far East in the none too distant future - while there is still something of Mother Nature that is inspiring to see.

Scuba diving on the M2

The jinx is finally over for two Yam Yam scuba divers.

Yep, we finally got to dive the M2; me after three years of waiting, Jono after about eight failed attempts where he has been blown out, sick, and chased off by sharks (not really).





And here are the pics to prove it.

In 1927 HMS M2 became the world's first undersea aircraft carrier, a submarine carrying a small two-seater seaplane in a watertight hangar.
The seaplane, which had folding wings, was launched by catapult off a runway on the deck.
The M2's crew was proud of the speed with which it could launch the little floating plane but it was this speed which proved their fatal undoing.
It is thought in an attempt to beat the record, the hangar doors were opened before the sub had fully surfaced, flooding the hangar and taking the boat to the bottom of the sea, taking all 60 crew with her on 26 January, 1932.





And now she has become a magnet for scuba divers. Her very name will resonate with most; those who have dived her will reminisce, those who want to dive her will listen intently.
But at about 34m-ish to the seabed, she is a challenging deep dive where air consumption and bottom time have to be closely monitored.





We dived with Scimitar Diving, based on the harbour edge of Portland Harbour that offered hardboat diving - and a lift to get your tidy body out of the water at the end.
The great thing about the outfit was that you simply book your spot and turn up on the day joining in with a mixed party in much the same way as holiday diving abroad.



M2 lies in Lyme Bay, about an hour's chug around Portland Bill.
The shot-line had been dropped right across the conning tour dropping us in a perfect spot to begin the dive.
The deck sits at about 27m-ish and we followed it northwards to the sub's spectacular bow with its famous knife-like razor edge. Visibility was about 5m and the wreck disappeared ghost-like into the distance as we peered along its sleek lines.
Heading back we followed the tracks that once fired the seaplane off the deck, leading us to the hangar. One or two huge conger eels are said to have made this their home but they must have been out Saturday afternoon shopping when we visited.



Moving beyond the conning tower, we headed sternwards to the propshafts, keel and rudder which are covered in anemones.
With time running out we made a quick swim back to the conning tower. And this is where the reality of what we were doing hit me.
Peering into the tower bridge, where a small shoal of fish were loitering, I was reminded that 80-odd years ago, the sub's crew would have stood here among the jutting mass of periscopes that now rose towards the surface.
From that very spot the captain would have proudly surveyed the vessel; the crew would have watched the plane take off and land and said goodbye to the blue skies as they finally prepared for a stint running silently beneath the waves. Sadly they never returned to the surface.
Wreck diving, particularly military vessels, offers wonderful diving opportunities - but also a poignant slice of history with the vessel standing in solemn tribute to the brave.



The M2 was a wonderful dive but it nearly ended so tragically for divers on another boat. As we surfaced following 30 minutes underwater, the Coastguard's rescue helicopter was hovering overhead winching a stricken diver to safety.

It would appear she had a problem in the first stages of the dive. By the time she was back on the boat she was unconscious and not breathing. The chopper crew raced her to Dorchester Hospital and managed to get her breathing again, an amazing example of their skill and never-give-up attitude.

Minutes later a second diver hit the surface in a panic after a rapid ascent when he realised - 20 mins into the dive - that his pressure gauge had stuck on 200bar.

This is a challenging dive and I would urge anyone looking to do it to think long and hard about their own experience and expertise. Please don't try it until you are ready, it will wait for you.



I know this is somewhat gratuitous - but after a hard days diving, it was nice to relax and watch some bikini-clad ladies playing beach volleyball. I would have offered to help clean the sand off after the game but I doubt this missus would have been too happy.

Scuba Divers find Italian shipwrecks and undersea city

Archaeologists have found five well-preserved Roman shipwrecks deep under the sea off a small Mediterranean island, with their cargo of vases, pots and other objects largely intact.

The Associated Press reported that the ships were found between 100 and 150 metres down off Ventotene, a tiny island off Italy's west coast between Rome and Naples.

The ships, which date from between the 1st century B.C. and the 4th century, carried amphorae as well as kitchen tools and metal and glass objects that have yet to be identified, Italy's Culture Ministry said.

The discovery is part of a new drive by archaeological officials to scan deeper levels of the sea and prevent looting of submerged treasures.

Discoveries of shipwrecks are not unusual in the Mediterranean, but these ships are far better preserved than most, which are often found scattered in fragments, said Annalisa Zarattini, the head of the ministry's office for underwater archaeology.

"It is like an underwater museum," Zarattini said.

The ships were found during explorations concluded earlier this month by the ministry and the AURORA Trust, a U.S. group that gathers maritime researchers and provides equipment to explore the sea.

Meanwhile in a report filed from Squillace, Italy, on July 24 the foundation of the ancient city of Scylletium could rest just yards offshore from the Italian town of Squillace, local officials said Friday.

Architect Alessandro Ciliberto, an amateur scuba diver, was swimming about 15 yards off the sea wall at Squillace when he found a group of stone blocks that appeared to be man-made, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The Squillace town council said the ruins may belong to the ancient seaside city of Scylletium, founded when southern Italy was a Greek colony.

Scylletium became a Roman colony in 124 BC and was the birthplace of 6th-century Roman writer and statesman Cassiodorus, who claimed Scylletium's founder was the Greek king Ulysses.

Baby whale takes first breath

The moment a mother humpback whale lifted up her calf to take its first breath has been captured on camera in Australia.

The footage from researchers were surveying humpback whales off Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia is also thought to be the first time a humpback whale has been filmed giving birth in the wild.

On closer inspection, they noticed a calf struggling to breath before the mother dived beneath the surface to lift up her new born and allow it to take its first breath.

"The cow held the calf gently in this position for about 10 seconds while it took what we now understand to be its first breath of life," said Micheline Jenner of the Centre for Whale Research.
After taking its first breath the calf was able to swim in the water beside its mother.

The newborn, named Tantabiddi after the entrance to the reef where it was born, would have measured about five metres long and weighed up to 1½ tonnes. Its mother, up to 15 metres long, could have weighed up to 45 tonnes.

M2 here we come!

As long as Jono hasn't jinxed it, that is!

The weather is looking fine, my kit is ready and I have a full bottle of bubbles - I just hope the great summer getaway doesn't get in my way.

For those who don't know, the M2 is an intact submarine that carried small two-seater aircraft. It sank in 1932 just west of Portland during a routine trip. It is thought the hanger doors failed to seal properly, allowing the sea water to flood the vessel.

It is the one dive that my other half holds over me - but not any more.

As long as Jono hasn't jinxed it!

California scuba divers encounter Humbolt squid

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the oceans.....

Frightening news - or maybe not depending on your fear threshold - for scuba divers off the coast of California after it emerged some had been 'attacked' by giant Humbolt squid which have moved into the area.

Divers have reported unnerving encounters with the carnivorous cephalopods, whicharrived in the area about a week.

Diver Shanda Magill told the Associated Press news agency how a squid ripped at her BCD and light, and grabbed her with its tentacles.

She said: "I just kicked like crazy. The first thing you think of is: 'Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'm going to survive this.' If that squid wanted to hurt me, it would have."

Roger Uzun, a veteran scuba diver and amateur underwater videographer, swam with a swarm of the creatures for about 20 minutes and said they appeared more curious than aggressive.

The animals taste with their tentacles, he said, and seemed to be touching him and his wet suit to determine if he was edible.

Monty Halls dived with the Humbolt for an episode of his TV show Great Ocean Adventures (I'll watch it tonight to remind myself how he found it).

The squid are more commonly found in the deep waters off Mexico, where they have been known to attack humans and are nicknamed "red devils" for their rust-red colouring and aggressive streak.

They hunt in schools of up to 1,200 and the population is believed to have exploded because of human hunting which all but eradicated their natural predators.

Scientists are not sure why the squid have started appearing in the water off the Southern California coast and say they are concerned.

One theory is that their prey has moved to shallow waters due to changes in sea temperatures and the squid have followed. One biologist estimated there could be hundreds, or possibly thousands.