New fish found by scuba divers

A FISH with a wild zebra striped body that bounces along the bottom in a haphazard way has been hailed a new species by scientists.

The bizarre behaviour of the member of the frogfish family - spotted by scuba divers off the island of Ambon in eastern Indonesia - has earned itself the nickname "psychedelica".

Research published in the US scientific journal Copeia said the fish has a "broad flat face, surrounded by thick, fleshy, laterally expanded cheeks and chin, with eyes directed forward; skin of the body thick and loose, forming conspicuous fleshy folds that envelop the unpaired fins; a remarkable pigment pattern of white swirling stripes radiating from the eyes and continuing back to the body and tail".

Scientists at the University of Washington identified it as a new species.



They described it's bizarre movement.
"Members of Histiophryne psychedelica, or H. psychedelica, don't so much swim as hop. Each time they strike the seafloor they use their fins to push off and they expel water from tiny gill openings on their sides to jet themselves forward. With tails curled tightly to one side --which surely limits their ability to steer -- they look like inflated rubber balls bouncing hither and thither."

For more pics and video of psychedelica visit the University of Washington's news site.

EU Action Plan For Sharks

Europe's threatened sharks have finally been given a lifeline in a new EU action plan offering the continent's first ever shark protection laws.
Scuba divers known for years that over-fishing, by-catch and the insatiable demand for shark fin products have left the species facing the threat of extinction.
Now Jo Borg, European commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries, has stepped in to help save the dwindling numbers from hunters.
And if politicians are finally prepared to act, the situation must be pretty bad- as they are not a normally a group willing to step in until the horse is not only out of the stable, but has vaulted the paddock fence and disappeared across next door's fields.
That said, it's better late then never - as long as the action plan lives up to its word.



The Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks aims to end overfishing, pay special attention to threatened shark species and close loopholes in the EU ban on shark finning in the hope of rebuilding shark stocks.
The EU fleet take around 100,000 tonnes of sharks and related species each year from the North Sea and the north-east Atlantic, which includes the Med, in an industry Commissioners now accept is lightly regulated, if at all.
The Fisheries Dept now acknowledge that: "Sharks, rays and chimaeras are ancient species that play a vital role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems.
"Since the mid-1980s, they have been under increasingly intense fishing pressure due to higher demand for shark products, especially in Asian markets.
"This over-exploitation affects populations that are generally fragile and is leading some species to the brink of extinction."
It goes on to state: "Shark populations are generally fragile because of certain characteristics of their life cycle: low fertility rate, large juveniles, slow growth and late maturity.
"Their capacity to restore their population in case of overfishing is consequently limited. As a result, these ancient species, which play a key role in maintaining balance in marine ecosystems, are sometimes endangered by overfishing and illegal fishing.
"For example, several species caught by the EU fleet in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean are on the Red List drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Some are 'critically endangered' (spurdog, porbeagle shark, several species of angel shark and ray), and others are 'endangered' (basking shark) or 'vulnerable' (short-finned mako, blue shark and hammerhead shark)."

Under the plan, (pdf version / Q&A details) catch limits will be set in line with scientific advice, fishing will be banned in areas crucial for reproduction and rearing young and observers placed on boats to report on the numbers of sharks being pulled in as bycatch.
The regulations will also apply to sharks' close relatives - skates and rays - and the restrictions will apply to all EU-registered vessels, wherever they operate.

Sonja Fordham, Policy Director for conservation charity, the Shark Alliance, said: “The release of the long-awaited EU Shark Plan represents a great step forward for the conservation of sharks in European waters and beyond.
"The Plan’s commitments to science-based fishing limits, endangered species protection, and a stronger finning ban are essential to securing a brighter future for some of Europe’s most vulnerable and neglected animals.”

Unfortunately the phrase "gradual implementation" appears throughout the document. But thanks to a suggestion by John Nightingale in his Biteback article in this month's Diver mag, maybe Jo Borg would like to hear your thoughts. he can be reached on cabinet-borg@ec.europa.eu

Some of us will remember the famous footage in the Blue Planet doc of hundreds of schooling hammerheads. Let's just hope that the EU aren't too late and one day when we jump in, cameras at the ready, to a hotspot for shark activity we can get to see sharks again in the numbers they should be.

Sharkrunners

Ever fancied a taste of ocean exploration, a bit of daring-do while collecting data on sharks prowling the world's oceans?

Yes? But you don't want to leave your armchair?

Well try the new Discovery Channel online Sharkrunners game.

It promises to be a game of "high stakes shark research" where "players take on the role of sharkrunners: daring and adventurous marine biologists who seek to learn as much as possible about sharks through advanced observation techniques".

It also guarantees to suck up hours of your life as you pilot your ship along the coast of who knows where looking for sharks.

The nice detail is that the game uses real-world telemetry data to provide the position and movement of actual great white sharks so every animal players encounter corresponds to a real shark out in the actual ocean.

The basics rules are that you get out on the ocean with your crew, plot a course and dive in with the sharks you encounter along the way. The boat journeys happen in real time so if your computer's on, you can leave it running until you pretend to jump in.

When you find a shark there are some nice videos and interesting facts that will keep kids happy and if it goes someway to reversing the slaughter of sharks by increasing interest in them then it's not such a bad thing.

And it appears some players are really into it - amassing trillions of dollars for their research work. Also check out Sharkrunners HQ for some interesting links to other websites.

Me, I've totalled about $7,000 and had a crew member chomped by Tiger Shark Kari. Oh well, no one said it was going to be easy.

Random news

After a few days away from the computer I've come back to an in-box full of alerts about this that and the other.
Quickly skimming through them, I've come across a few interesting tit-bits. Rather than write chapter and verse, here they are in a (chunky) nutshell....................

A unique study by a scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at San Diego has provided fresh evidence of fishing's impact on marine ecosystems.
Researcher Loren McClenachan looked at archive photos spanning more than five decades to analyze and calculate a drastic decline of so-called "trophy fish" caught around coral reefs surrounding Key West, Florida.
In a paper published in an upcoming issue of the journal Conservation Biology, she describes a stark 88 percent decline in the estimated weight of large predatory fish imaged in black-and-white 1950s sport fishing photos compared to the relatively diminutive catches photographed in modern pictures.

Primitive deep-sea fish may have viewed the world in colour.
The elephant shark, which evolved about 450 million years ago, is the oldest vertebrate to have "the colour vision system we know as humans", says David Hunt at University College London.

Even sharks are feeling the bite from economic tough times with reported shark bites are down - because fewer tourists are hitting the beach.
According to George Burgess of the International Shark Attack File, shark attacks dropped to their lowest level in five years worldwide last year, falling from 71 in 2007 to 59 in 2008, and killing four. One theory is that fewer people are putting themselves in harm's way because they can't afford it.

The tragic death of a Teesside diver might have been avoided had better warning signs been placed around the wreck they were exploring, an inquest heard.
Paul Swain, 49 of Billingham, died on November 3 last year after becoming disorientated in a compartment of a sunken ferry, the MV Xlendi on the island of Gozo, off Malta.
Hartlepool Coroner’s Court was told how the upturned ferry was not equipped with proper warning notices alerting them to the dangers of exploring the site.

French warship Danton found at the bottom of the sea

In a case of “anything you can do, I can do better”, underwater explorers have now announced they have found a French battleship torpedoed by a German U-boat more than 90 years ago on the sea floor.
And from the video it looks in remarkable condition.




The Danton, which sank with 296 sailors still on board, is sitting upright in more than 1,000 metres of water and 15 metres proud of the seabed.
It was found 35km southwest of the island of Sardinia during an underwater survey for a gas pipeline across the Southern Mediterranean Sea between Algeria and Italy.
The Fugro geo-sciences announced today (Feb 18 2009) that their survey vessel Geo Prospector found the sunken warship was carrying out a deepwater marine survey.
Detailed examination of the side-scan sonar data shortly after Christmas 2007 revealed a large wreck approximately 125m long with a beam of around 27m, lying upright on the seabed.



In January 2008, the Fugro support vessel Skandi Inspector used its ROV to examine the wreck site which revealed the wreck looked like a battleship.


Full video on Fugro website

A study of records suggested it could be the warship Danton which was sunk in the area in March 1917.
“Its condition is extraordinary,” Rob Hawkins, project director with Fugro GeoConsulting Limited told the BBC.
A comparison with the original plans for the battleship, including the position of its 240mm guns, confirmed the wreck’s identity.




The pipeline has been re-routed around the wreck site.
The discovery comes just weeks after it was announced that the wreck of the HMS Victory, sunk in 1744, was found in the English channel.

Canon G9 Camera Underwater

While pulling together a slideshow of underwater images I got thinking about things have moved on since my first camera. As some of you may be looking to upgrade from your point and shoot, here's a review of the Canon G9 instructor Jason Clarke posted on the Dive Magazine website. The review won him a set of Poseiden regs (I have the same camera and wish I'd got a review in first)

PERFECT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE OUTGROWN THEIR COMPACT CAMERAS

Strengths: the option for full manual functions will give you greater control over how your photos turn out and RAW function allows for greater fiddling on a PC afterwards.

Weaknesses: Takes a bit of getting used to. Also the Canon housing doesn’t allow for wide angle or wet lenses to be attached. If that is your thing, you will need to purchase the more expensive Ikelite housing.

Overall: The advent of compact digital cameras and watertight housings has revolutionized underwater photography, giving us chance to share our experiences with people not yet converted to life with an aqualung.

Inevitably, there will be some of us who will outgrow our simple point-and-shoot models as we aspire to replicate the images of the likes of Alex Mustard or David Doubliet.
However, the thought of trying a digital SLR will leave a lot of us in dread. Too expensive, too fiddly and you’d need some sort of degree to learn how to use one, I thought.



But after much searching I’ve discovered the Canon G9 which I bought with a Canon WP-DC21 housing. It’s slightly bigger than your average compact but comes with a wealth of manual functions usually found only on SLR cameras, thus providing a perfect bridge between the two vastly different disciplines.
More experienced photographers can better explain the qualities of the camera so I’ll just stick with its underwater uses.The camera comes with all the gubbings you’d expect if buying one of its compact cousins (cables, software etc) and operates in exactly the same way.
However, turn the dial to full manual and it opens up a world of new things to try to improve your photos. Crucially, the camera gives you control of shutter speeds and aperture, two key elements in controlling the amount of light hitting the sensor and affecting how your pictures turn out.
On land, the functions are operated by a simple wheel with your thumb. Underwater, it involves pressing a couple of buttons. My advice, read the manual that comes with the Canon housing. Skip through any number of underwater photography forums and you will find countless divers have discounted the G9 because they didn’t think the manual functions would be available to them beneath the waves.
White balance and ISO control can also be controlled manually and there is a macro setting. There is also scope for a slave flash with the Canon housing.



The G9 also lets you shoot in RAW format, effectively a digital negative that has had no post-shot processing done by the camera and is perfect for those who link to tinker with their shots on a PC afterwards.
Getting good results with the G9’s manual functions does take a bit of work. A professional photographer friend recommended experimenting lots on land so they become second nature. But with digital, it doesn’t matter because it doesn’t cost you anything. Such is the quality of the camera, he even bought one as a back-up.
After eight months playing with the camera, my pics are slowly improving and I’ve discovered that, underwater, there are colours other than differing shades of blue.
Comparing shots I take now with my first scuba snaps and I’ve come on in leaps and bounds.And with automatic functions just a twist of the dial away, you can always use it like any other compact to make sure you don’t miss that (possibly) once-in-a-lifetime shot as I did when a whale shark swam past us in Sharm in June.
There is one major sticking point however. Due to the shape of the housing port it is not possible to attach wet lenses such as wide angle or macro. I only discovered this after buying the camera. It now means another £500-ish outlay for an Ikelite housing for when I want to make the next step forward.
That aside, this is a perfect camera for taking those baby steps towards publication-quality pics

Man made shark womb

Bizarre news of the day......
Scientists are developing an artificial uterus to help save the endangered grey nurse shark whose pups engage in a spot of cannibalism.
While still in the womb the strongest will devour their weaker siblings meaning only two can be born from each female at a time.



The research has been funded by the New South Wales department of Primary Industries in a desperate bid to save the species, acknowledged as one of the most threatened in the waters of eastern Australia.
Dr Nick Otway, who is leading the research estimates that fewer than 1000 grey nurse sharks of optimum breeding age are left in the wild in Australian waters.
It is hoped the man-made womb will help in an artificial breeding program
Check out the cannibals in action.

Marine Conservation Society Award

Slumdog Millionaire v The Curious Case of Benjamin Button? Brad Pitt v Mickey Rourke? Kate Winslet v well, Kate Winslet? I'm sure there are people arguing right now over who deserves this year's Oscar.
While they're doing that, let me tell you that the Marine Conservation Society has nipped in to win it's own honour - the Best Environmental Campaign 2009 award with their battle for Clean Seas.
Campaigns to reduce pollution at sea were nominated by readers of Coast Magazine and debated by a panel of judges including dive hottie Miranda Krestovnikoff.
Among it's initiatives, MCS Beachwatch involves over 5,000 volunteers each year in cleaning up and surveying beaches.
The conservation group has also brought the issues of plastic bags, balloons, sewage dumped at sea to public and government attention through its Campaign for Clean Seas.
Dr Sue Kinsey, of the MCS pollution team, said: "We're absolutely delighted to win this award, which we accept on behalf of the team of volunteers and staff who have worked so hard to bring about change."
Congratulations to the team.
My money's on Slumdog, Pitt and er Winslet by the way.

Census of Polar Marine Life

You know how we all hate filling in the official form every ten years asking us what we do, how many people we've got stashed away at home and how much we earn?
Well thankfully there's a few scientists who can't get enough. And God love 'em because they've come up with an interesting study about marine life at either ends of the earth.
And there's some fantastic news. The Census of Marine Life recorded some 7,500 species in the Antarctic and 5,500 in the Arctic, including several hundred that researchers believe could be new to science.
But while polar bears live in the north and penguins prefer the south, researchers also found the Polar oceans shared some 235 species, including whales, worms, crustaceans and angelic like pteropods- despite being separated by nearly 7,000 miles.
University of Alaska Fairbanks plankton ecologist Russ Hopcroft, who took part in the Arctic survey said: "Finding species at both ends of the Earth — some of which don't have a known connection in between — raises a whole bunch of evolutionary questions."
The survey is one of several projects of the Census of Marine Life, an international effort to catalogue all life in the oceans which will be published next year.
Victoria Wadley, a researcher from the Australian Antarctic Division added: "The textbooks have said there is less diversity at the poles than the tropics, but we found astonishing richness of marine life in the Antarctic and Arctic oceans We are rewriting the textbooks."
I guess the polar oceans are not biological deserts after all.
S'pose I best start looking at that PADI Ice Diving Specialty.

Google Ocean - dive without leaving your desktop

Just finished playing with a new version of Google Earth, and it promises to be a fantastic dive-planning-research-gathering-marine-life-saving resource. Or timewaster depending on what takes your fancy.
The plaything of deskbound travellers' (or those who want to zoom into their own house from space as if an invading Martian) now includes some of the great dive spots in the world.
A new layer called Google Ocean aims to bring the Blue Planet to life by featuring large swathes of the ocean floor and abyssal plains.
It gives users a 3D exploration of the sea floor, allowing them to visit underwater volcanoes, run videos on marine life, shipwrecks, clips of favourite dive spots and includes info from the world's leading scientists, researchers, ocean explorers and conservation groups.
Sylvia Earle, the National Geographic Society's explorer in residence, who helped develop the programme said: "I cannot imagine a more effective way to inspire awareness and caring for the blue heart of the planet than the new ocean in Google Earth."
The Marine Conservation Society said they can now map for the public where in the world some of the most sustainably-sourced kinds of fish come from.
In a statement, the charity said: "MCS is tremendously excited by the sheer potential of Ocean on Google Earth. Its new features will help bring the ocean to life in homes, businesses and classrooms in a more visual form than ever before.
"Our first layer shows the fish available to consumers that can be obtained without risk of depleting stocks, a positive message to accompany the launch."

Here's a quick example of what I found.

Thistlegorm - most of us have been there so it seemed an easy one. Zoom in close enough and you'll get an image of the liveaboards lined up (a familiar site for most of us). Click of the dive site symbol and it will show a nice pic of the gun on the stern. There is also footage from Cousteau's Silent World 1956 documentary. If you haven't been to the wreck it gives a nice introduction to where it is and what you can expect.

Nine boats1! Thistlegorm on a good day

Scapa Flow - you get a number of dive sites with pics including sonar images such as this of the SMS Dresden

4009 - that's the number given to a 4m long Great White Shark tagged off the coast of California and you can check out where she's been.

satellite track of 4009

Black bream - according to the MSC black bream caught in the English Channel are kind of okay to eat because they are caught in a reasonably sustainable way.

Zenobia - Oh my God!

Where has the past 90 minutes of my life just gone?

New Scuba Diving Drysuit

I've ordered my new dry suit from Aquasport this week and I've gone for the "Suit of Choice".

Well almost!

I tried the Oceanic Aedura Black front loader and really wanted to like it but ended up with two problems. First I found it a faff to get on.

"It'll get easier with practice," I'm sure people will say.

And I'm sure it does.

But I never really wanted to be a contortionist (I don't think I'm supple enough for that). I just found it awkward to get on and could imagine students watching me fighting into my drysuit on a training course and questioning what kind of idiot was meant to be looking after them.

Secondly, I think you need to be a bit more broad shouldered and chested than I am (or leave the coathanger in) to really wear the frontloader well because of the way the zip runs.

I ended up with enough extra material across the front that I could have fitted Jordan's assets in as well.

That said, the Aerdura was incredibly warm and comfortable so I went for the tradional back zip instead. It only comes with one cargo pocket but, hey, can't have everything and I've gone for the neoprene sock and rock boot. Should have it by the end of the month.

Strange Scuba Diving Behaviour

Is adventure in the world beneath the surface becoming a bit tedious? I only ask because it seems divers are on a quest to find the most bizarre thing to do underwater.
Following on from the Underwater Ironing record at Chepstow last month (watch the video, it is pretty impressive), two divers que'd up for a game of billiards beneath the waves in the Bay of Bengal
Sabir Bux, the scuba diver and Ahsan-ul-Haq, a billiards player, dropped an 8x4 sq feet green coated iron table in about 20 feet deep in the water and used six specialised balls during the play. Now they are too going for a world record.
Bux, 43, who runs Kalinga Divers, said: "This is the first of its kind attempt in the world. It was a trial match. We will play the final in the deep sea very soon to set a world record."

And then there was the breath-taking Scuba Diving Olympics in Florida.

The events included a parade, the 100 meter dive buddy tow, balloon lift, three-legged buddy race, bicycle event and obstacle course for professionals with proceeds supporting a new Special Olympic Swim team program at the pool.

Another US Sport claiming to be a worldwide contest but only featuring the Yanks. Or a bit of a laff that is sure to catch on elsewhere?

Let's hope British divers don't get carried away with a new competition - they are already in an on-going battle with the Aussies over the underwater ironing title.



The divers braved water temperatures of just 5C to carry out the attempt at the National Diving and Activity Centre.
They each had to iron one item of linen within a 10-minute time limit and 86 of them completed the task under the watchful eye of adjudicators, beating the previous world record of 72 set in Melbourne, Australia, last year.
Organiser Gareth Lock said the charity challenge is set to raise £10,000 for the RNLI - while raising awareness about the "joys" of underwater ironing.

Divefest and Basking Sharks

While the research into foreign dive destinations continues to trickle in, we've already got a UK trip planned - and it's going to be a cracker in Cornwall.
DiveFest is a brand-new diving festival (it does exactly what it says on the tin) and is set to be the UK’s biggest diving event of the year.
And Aquasport International are going to make even better.
Around 40 of us staff and customers are already signed up to go and we've got three nice boats booked for the weekend's diving.
With a post-dive beer or two thrown in, it promises to be a party weekend in mid May.
If you don't know what it's about, check out the website for the full run down.
In a nutshell, there's going to be to be diving and diving and diving.
And that’s not all. There’s a party on the beach on the Saturday night, with a band, hog lamb roast, dancing and a bonfire. Famous divers, such as Monty Halls, (that will send my missus' heart a-flutter) will be speaking about their work and there will be films shows.
Diving manufacturers will also be on hand to show their latest products and in some cases give you a chance to dive with their new kit.
Any dive site recommendations would be gratefully received.
A couple of us are also planning to spend the whole week down there and I was hoping for a bit of basking shark watching.
Amazing Cornwall is a good site for spotting the gentle giants of the ocean particularly in late spring and summer when (he's the science part) warm water from the Atlantic pushes into coastal waters on the western coasts of the UK and brings microscopic nutrients to the surface (that's plankton bloom to most of us). These blooms feed other tiny animals which are the basking shark's favourite food.
Results from the Wildlife Trusts' Basking Shark Survey (click for the summary or full report)suggest we might be a little too early in the season.
During the 2006 season, the project recorded 303 sharks, the most ever recorded in a year by the study group. Researchers said one area stood out clearly as a shark hotspot from Lizard Point west to the Runnelstone Buoy. July seemed to be the peak month
The eight year study also highlighted a remarkable change in shark distribution over the study period, with a marked decline in sightings in the South West of England, and an increase off Scotland.
The report identified numerous threats to the species particularly as by-catch in fishermen's nets. Colin Speedie who led the study project said the proposed Marine Conservation Zones proposed by the Government were desperately needed.
“We need to see Marine Conservation Zones set up to help rebuild healthy seas in order that UK waters can truly support the marine life once common off our shores," he added.
The Shark Trust also has also published some interesting studies on basking sharks in conjunction with the Marine Biological Association.

Shark Attacks Navy Diver

Australia appears to be in the grip of Jaws fever at the moment with a number of shark attacks being reported over the past month or so.
I came across this interesting story being reported by Reuters news agency about a remarkable escape by a hard-as-nails Aussie Navy Diver.
The 31-year-old punched a shark as he was being attacked in Sydney Harbour last Wednesday (Feb 4) while on anti-terrorism training in waters around the Garden Island Naval Base,
"The attack occurred very quickly. Our diver punched the shark, I believe, a couple of times. The shark then disappeared very quickly," Australian Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Nigel Coates told reporters.
"It was all over, I'm told, in a few seconds."
The diver suffered severe injuries to his right hand and leg.
"The patient said he saw something big and grey underneath him just before the attack," an ambulance spokesman said.
There have been at least four other shark attacks in Australia this summer, one of them fatal. Although it must be stressed, these attacks should not be used as justification for a marine slaughter. As divers we'd all sooner see them in their rightful habitat and not dangling from a fisherman's pole or sliced up and sans fins on a butcher's table.

USS Vandenburg Artificial Reef

Florida is fast becoming a divers' wreck heaven with plans to sink another to decommissioned US Navy warship as an artificial reef.
The 160m-long former Second World War missile tracking ship, USS Hoyt S Vandenberg will become the second largest artificial reef in the world when it is sunk six miles off Key West at some point this year.

The USS Vandenburg will join the USS Spiegel Grove and USS Oriskany as a diver's playground

and the local economy and the attraction will benefit to the tune of an estimated $6.2 million a year.

Reefmakers, the company being the project said on Friday (Feb 6) the Vandenburg was moved from the location where it had been impounded to a new shipyard where final preparations for the tow to Key West will take place.

"After more than 10 years of alternating heartbreak and hope, the Vandenberg team and our loyal supporters are beginning to feel the sweet breezes of success filling our sails at last," the company said on its website.

"We have stuck with this project because of our dedication, as divers, to the underwater environment; because of our commitment to our friends and neighbors in this community who work as captains, mates, divemasters, fishermen, charterboat operators and all those in the hospitality industry; and because of the veterans, sailors, technicians, immigrants and refugees who want to see this history honored and for the ship to have a meaningful ultimate purpose."

There's a great video on the preparation work to ready the ship for its underwater destination and it looks an imposing dive destination.

There is no firm date for the sinking but Tom Ingram, executive director of the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) said it would be a big boost to the local economy.

"We could not be more excited about the positive benefits the sinking of the USS Vandenberg will provide to the local Florida economy."

Let's hope the sinking goes better than that of the Spiegel Grove which required Mother Nature to tidy up the man-made mess.

The 155metre ship turned turtle and ended up on its side when it was scuttled in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in 2002.

Thanks to powerful waves and currents generated by Hurricane Dennis the 6,880-ton hulk was finally flipped onto its keep on the ocean floor in 2005.

HMS Victory and Gold: The Full (ish) Story

For those with cable or satellite, Treasure Quest on the Discovery Channel gave a glimpse into the search for the HMS Victory lost 265 years ago in the English Channel. But like most shows of it's ilk it was all about glamorous shots and high drama as the Odyssey crew tried to avoid giving the game away to rivals that they had found a possible fortune beneath the waves.



For a better insight into the ship, it's discovery and identification, check out the 46-page Preliminary Survey and Identification on the company's website.

In a (fairly largish) nutshell then;
HMS Victory was classed as a first-rate man-of-war (one of the most impressive warships of it's era) that was brimming with cannons. It vanished in a storm in October 1744 and was thought sank at Casquets, near Aldernay under the captaincy of Admiral Sir John Balchin, taking more than 1,000 sailors to their deaths.
The ship was homeward bound after multi-pronged mission when she was caught in the violent storm. She had helped escort a convoy of vessels heading to America and also to the Med to provide victuals to the allies fighting the War of Austrian Succession. Admiral Balchin was also to liberate a convoy trapped by the French and clear the channel of privateers.
And then she was lost. fast forward 265 years and a team of marine explorers make an amazing breakthrough.

Odyssey Marine Exploration was conducting its Atlas Shipwreck Survey Project when the sidescan sonar pinged a wreck in May last year.
The area, which became known as Site 25C (covering 61x22 metres) was characterised by the discovery of bronze canons, 41 in all exposed on the seabed.

Plan of site 25C

The explorers noted the canons were dragged 90 degrees off their axis of the shipwreck and it became apparent that that which was exposed was being damaged by beam trawlers (it is thought most of the wreck is still hidden under the sands of the highly dynamic sea floor of shifting sand).

During the survey of 2,574sqm of the wreck site over 23 dives, the ROV found an anchor, copper kettle and gunners' wheels. But it was the bronze cannon that were the most important.

Of the 41 fully or partly exposed, at least eight bore the crest of King George I and one the crest of King George II. Some were between six and 24 pounders cannons but at least six were 42 pounders - the biggest guns of the day and saved for the mightiest of ships.

Two, codenamed C28 and C33 were raised to help with identification.

Cannons found and raised by Odyssey

The ship was ID'd in three ways. 1/ an examination of Royal Navy losses in the Channel with at least 41 guns. 2/ ID of ships that would have carried such armament with the crests of two Kings. 3/ A survey of first-rate Royal Navy warships lost throughout the world.

Each study led to "unavoidable conclusion" that it was the Victory.

So what about the loot?

Research shows that substantial quantities of merchants' gold were being carried on a regular basis from Lisbon to England on the larger Royal Navy ships during this period and it was reported at the time that the Victory had 400,000 Sterling on board (an estimated four tons of gold). It was also thought she was carrying valuable prizes from the ships she captured worth 120,000 pounds sterling at the time. It's current market value is estimated at a whopping ONE BILLION POUNDS. All this is thought to be buried beneath the underwater sand dunes which could hide more of the wreck.

For the full details (yes there is more) check out the 46 page report on Odyssey's website and the FAQs. It makes fascinating reading if you like marine archaeology and the solving of mysteries. And considering we spend a lot of out time on wrecks, it provides an in-depth view about what it takes to prove their identities.

Project Aware PADI Cert Cards

Marine Conservation Project Aware has now launched it's special edition images for it's PADI cert card - and it's a bonus for shark lovers.

The winning image features a shark cruising over a coral reef but for those wanting something with fewer teeth, there's also a whale shark image.

So if you complete a PADI course or specialty over the next 12 months and want one instead of the normal cert card, make a small donation to Project Aware when you fill in the PIC card. You can also order replacement cards with the image on for a small donation also.

The donation supports conservation of underwater environments through projects like beach and underwater cleanups, coral reef conservation programs, shark research and education, improved resource management and more.

Thanks to donations such as these, the charity achieved a fair bit last year.

Scuba Diving Dubai, Fujairah and Mussandam

Well the snow put paid to another week's diving. To cheer myself up I flicked through my log book and came across a dozen or so entries for the United Arab Emirates. It's a place that is slowly taking off among tourists heading for Dubai's duty-free shopping but is also starting to prove a pull for scuba divers wanting something different to the Red Sea. Here are my experiences.


Al Aqah beach

Best Time to Go - We went at the end of February. While the air temp was lovely and warm the water temperature was a brrrracing 21C and the viz was poor. In the summer it rises to nice bath water temperatures but then it is stifling with 90-odd per cent humidity on the surface. The trade-off is finding the bit in the middle when both water and air temps are suitable. Unfortunately we didn't.

Where to Dive - Forget the Dubai side. All the construction work on the Palm Island and the other monstrosity out at sea had buggered up the viz. Ex-pat divers said it had also changed the currents and altered the behaviour of marine life. Instead head over to the East Coast of the peninsula and the tiny emirate of Fujairah, which faces onto the Gulf of Oman, and also Musandam. Much better dive spots and much more life.

Best Dive Sites - Quite a few by getting the right conditions is key. In February the viz wasn't fantastic (Dosthill on a warm summer's day) but encounters were great. Martini Rock was a particular fave with plenty of fish, eels, cuttlefish and nudibranchs.


No laughing at the back. It's my first try and I couldn't get my music
off iTunes so Classical it had to be, it's all that was in the sample folder

The wreck of Inchcape One was interesting, if only for the giant resident Honeycomb moray called Fred, and trumpetfish.


Fred on Inchape 1

You must also visit Musandam, in Oman. The scenery is dramatic and while there was only the usual tropical fish around, hit it right and the chance for encounters with everything from whale sharks down is huge. Sadly, we got it wrong and one of the guys on the boat said: "If you want to tell the people of Birmingham what it's like to dive here, tell them to order a bowl of pea soup and stick their face in it."

Don't let that put you off, diving wasn't that bad and it's always better to be under the water than on the surface wish you were under.

What To See - In February, we had everything from moray eels and turtles to cuttlefish, trumpetfish, lion fish, solitary barracuda, lobster and plenty of small tropical fish. The dramatic scenery around Mussandam is equally underwater with some fabulous swim-throughs and overhangs full of life.



Viz - Anywhere from three to 20 metres. All depending on what time of year you go. In February we had about five metres until our last dive when it was about one.

Biggest gripe(s) - Picking the wrong time of year to go. Also, the harbour masters are a bit militant. Twice they refused to let boats out of the harbour because of the weather when a sneeze would have whipped up more of a swell. And the ships out at sea that occasionally dump oil which gets washed up on the beach. Also forget Dibba Island unless they can promise some depth. The deepest I got was 4.2 metres (I've had deeper snorkeling trips). That said, we did have a wonderful encounter with a giant turtle there.



What suit to take - In Feb, a 5mm at least, possibly even a 7mm or five mil with a Fourth Element Thermocline underneath. In the summer, water gets to 30C so whatever makes you comfortable.

Where to Stay - on Fujairah side, there are two hotels on the Al Aqah Beach. First is the Meridien, a giant Western-style hotel towerblock completely out of keeping with the rest of the area. That said, the reviews are fantastic and that is where the PADI 5 Star Al Boom Dive centre is based. They are great to dive with. I much preferred the Iberotel Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort next door. A beautiful resort hotel with stunning food and a wonderful ambiance that is rapidly becoming popular among the more discerning traveller. Unfortunately no dive centre as yet. It's a place I dream of going back to.


Miramar Al Aqah Beach

Miscellaneous Diving Info - It's all boat diving, no shore diving. When diving anywhere near Al Aqah beach we met at Al Boom and padded over the beach and through the surf to board the sizable boat. Once we left from the harbour a short dive away. Diving Musandam is a 30 minute drive north. You have to cross the border into Oman so will need your passport. Boat trip to dive sites is a further 30-40 mins north of the harbour. Also pack light, Emirates are being stingy at the moment and have cancelled luggage allowance for extra dive gear.

Guidebook - UAE Underwater (3rd edition) by Carole Harris and Tony Schroder, two experienced divers with expert knowledge of the area.

Worth Going - Yes. Just pick a better time than we did. Happy diving.

Apologies

Sorry not blogged for a few days but up to my eyes in work.
I'll be back tomorrow with a review of scuba diving in Dubai. Also been reading the preliminary archaeology report regarding the discovery of HMS Victory. More on that by Sunday.
Also, worth checking out Divernet forums where I've been involved in an interesting debate on the buddy system and whether it needs changing.
Check out the thread and let me know what you think. I'll blog about the discussion some other time.

HMS Victory Update

Further details of the discovery of the wreck of man-of-war HMS Victory have been released by deep sea explorers Odyssey Marine Explorers in a press release on their website.

Odyssey said it discovered the wreckage almost 100 km from where the ship was historically believed to have foundered on a reef near the Channel Islands.

Two bronze cannons, including a 12-pounder featuring the royal arms of George II and a 4 ton, 42-pounder bearing the crest of George I. The huge 42-pounder recovered is the only known example of a gun of this type and size currently in existence on dry land.


42-pound bronze cannon being recovered
from the HMS Victory shipwreck

During these operations, evidence was discovered of substantial damage to the site from natural deterioration, scouring, extensive fishing trawl net damage and the intrusion of modern trash and debris.

“Rather than staying frozen in time beneath the waves, this unique shipwreck is fading fast,” warns marine archaeologist Dr. Sean Kingsley, Director of Wreck Watch International.

“The Victory lies in an area of intensive trawling, and her hull and contents are being ploughed away by these bulldozers of the deep day in, day out.

"Leaving the Victory’s rich archaeology so vulnerable to the ravages of man is like allowing a motorway to smash straight through a historic site on land without excavating it.

"The archaeological recovery of the artifacts from the site should begin as soon as possible or the story of England’s most important lost man-of-war may not survive to be told.”

The discovery last Spring Odyssey’s work on the Victory site was filmed for Discovery Channel’s “Treasure Quest” were rolling. It will be shown in the UK on Sunday, February 8 at 9PM.

A-Z of Wrecks

Talking in the office today about the find of the HMS Victory got us started on an A-Z of wrecks that we have dived. It's a boy thing I know, but here goes:



A - ?
B -The Barg (Red Sea)
C -Countess of Erne (Portland), Carnatic (Red Sea)
D -Dunraven (Rea Sea)
E -?
F - ?
G -Ghiannis D (Red Sea)
H - ?
I - Inchcape (UAE)
J - James Egan Layne (Plymouth)
K - Kimon M (Red Sea)
L -Lesleen M (St Lucia)
M -Marcus (Red Sea), M2 (Plymouth)
N -?

O - ?

P - ?

Q - ?

R -Rosalie Moller (Red Sea)

S -Scylla (Plymouth), Stanegarth (Stoney Cove)

T -Thistlegorm (Red Sea)

U -?

V -Victory Wreck (Maldives)

W -?

X -?

Y -?

Z -Zenobia

Okay, so it's only 14. But I'm more than half way through the alphabet and at least I know what area of diving I need to focus on this year. Any recommendations for filling in the blanks?

HMS Victory wreck found

Interesting news breaking tonight of the Associated Press newswire. Deep-sea explorers have found the legendary British man-of-war HMS Victory that sank in the English Channel 264 years ago.

The wreckage of the HMS Victory, the forerunner to the ship made famous by Lord Nelson, has been found below about 330 feet of water by Odyssey Marine Exploration.

Odyssey co-founder Greg Stemm said: "This is a big one, just because of the history. Very rarely do you solve an age-old mystery like this."

AP reported that two brass cannons had been recovered from the wreck of the ship which was the most heavily armed vessel of its day.


Photo released by Odyssey Marine Exploration
of a Bronze cannon on the shipwreck site of HMS
Victory bearing the royal crest of King George I

Thirty-one brass cannons and other evidence on the wreck allowed definitive identification of the HMS Victory, 175-foot sailing ship that was separated from its fleet and sank in the English Channel on Oct. 4, 1744, with at least 900 men aboard, the company said.


Photo released by Odyssey Marine Exploration.
The Odyssey Explorer's ROV measures a bore
hole of a 42-pound bronze cannon on the shipwreck
site of HMS Victory

Odyssey was searching for other valuable shipwrecks in the English Channel when it came across the Victory, although the exact location is being kept secret.

Full details are expected to emerge at a press conference in London on Monday morning.

Scuba Diving Jewellery

Like most people, when you get chatting to your scuba diving instructor you'll find they often have hidden depths to them.

Some play in their own bands, some like gliding, others run their own businesses. Take Jason Clarke, from Aquasport International in Birmingham. A qualified PADI and BSAC instructor he also has his own range of handmade jewellery called Evolution Jewellery.


Jason at work

The 37-year-old spent 21-years as a professional jewellery maker in Birmingham's prestigious Jewellery Quarter before becoming a full-time PADI instructor.

He used his love of the water as an inspiration for his jewellery and the range has taken off. His signature piece is an eye-catching fish-bone design, which comes as a pendant, bracelet and as a set of cufflinks, one you may have seen it advertised on the pages of dive magazines in the UK recently.

Each piece is handmade by Jason at his own workshop. Check out his website for the full collection.

And remember blokes, if you are planning a weekend away diving and want to guarantee quick agreement, something shiny like jewellery is always going to help win the missus over.

I should know, my wife already has a few of Jason's pieces.