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Archive for the ‘Asia Pacific’ Category
Turtle carving, or big broken rock?
Are the ruins man made, natural geological formations, or deserted alien outposts? I love the idea that modern day “experts” can’t seem to decide the origin of some of the Earth’s most interesting spots beneath the waves. Is it actually harder to authenticate a ruin that has been sitting in water for a few thousand years, or does the challenging nature of performing underwater archeology doom promising sites to obscurity and disbelief? Even if your opinion tends towards the doubting, you still have to admit that somewhere on this planet there have got to be important historical sites that have sunk beneath the waves as the planet has changed and the oceans have risen. Perhaps Yonaguni is one of those places.
Off the coast of Okinawa, Japan is the small island of Yonaguni, where the East China Sea irritably meets the larger ocean. Within the last 20 years, what started as a strange underwater “pyramid” sighting by local divers has turned into a world-wide effort to identify a whole host of what appear to be man-made buildings and monolith carvings. The pyramid itself is impressive, reaching from the sea floor (at a depth of 100 feet) almost to the surface, and sporting regular, level terraces with almost perfect right angles. At the base of the structure appears what some believe is a cobbled road.
Around the pyramid lie additional features that many consider man-made. Stone mounds with similarly stepped sides dot the landscape. There is the “The Arch,” five enormous stacked stones that seem to act as an entranceway to the other interesting parts of the site. Beyond are twin obelisks, two closely-aligned, perfect rectangles more than 20 feet tall, that may have channeled a shaft of sunlight signaling the autumn equinox. Other features of the site that scientists believe support the “man-made” theory include discarded stone tools, post-holes, wedge marks on the stone, a carving of a sacred turtle, and a stone tablet with incised markings, perhaps a rudimentary form of historical documentation.
What’s the catch? Some scientists have dated the site as far back as 8000BC, which places it solidly 5000 years before the building of the pyramids in Egypt. According to modern anthropological beliefs, that also means it was built long before “man” had the ability, time or knowledge to execute such a grand undertaking. In short, to fully embrace the idea that this site was created by human hands, you have to abandon all the current beliefs about the history and evolution of our ancestors. Or, you have to start believing in aliens. Your choice.
Which brings me back to why I like scuba diving so darn much. When you dive, do you judge a reef by how many fish you can positively identify? Surely not. Instead, you probably have the best experiences where there is plenty of fish and other sea life to study, savor and interpret as you see fit. I would argue that Yonaguni is the same way.
Though potentially historically significant, to a diver it probably doesn’t matter if the site is manmade or not. The monoliths there are awe-inspiring and the more delicate details (like the stone tablet) can be interpreted in a variety of ways with a little imagination and some descent visibility. If you are interested in archeological diving and are willing to suspend disbelief during your bottom time, Yonaguni is the dive for you.
Hawaiian green beauty...
Every diver has favorite things they like to see underwater. For some its sharks, for others rays, but for many people turtles top the list of fun aquatic finds. The Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) in particular has been a scuba favorite for years due to its good looks and reef-dweling nature.
Despite their name, Green Turtles are actually a light color all over, with the shell ranging in color from olive green to black, depending on where the turtle lives. Green turtles are migratory animals, traveling thousands of miles each year to nest. In fact, they only nest on the very beach they were born, so in order to lay eggs, they must return to that same beach.
Green turtles are on the endangered species list and therefore protected in most countries around the world. Besides humans, the tiger shark is a Green turtle’s main predator. Adult green turtles can grow to 5 feet long and weigh over 500 pounds, so sharks tend to target younger specimens for snacks.
So if you are determined to dive with these beauties in the wild, where can you go for a guaranteed sighting? The range of the sea turtle extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Interestingly, green turtles react differently to scuba divers depending on their location. On one side of Oahu turtles are curious and friendly, while on the opposite shore they jet the moment they see you, so two different dive sites around the same island can produce very different results. When visiting green turtle waters, it’s important to get the input of the locals to find the best locations for healthy, long-lasting viewing. But planning a trip to a locale with a concentration of these green jewels is the first step.
Atlantic
In the Caribbean, major nesting sites have been identified on Aves Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Tortuguero in Costa Rica. Within United States waters, minor nesting sites have been noted in the states of Georgia, North and South Carolina. Florida attracts them in droves especially near Hutchinson Island, Indian River Lagoon, the Florida Keys, Florida Bay, Homosassa, Crystal River and Cedar Key. In South America green turtles enjoy the waters off Surinam and French Guiana as well as around the island of Ascension.
Pacific & the Indian Ocean
In Mexico, green turtles are found in seagrass pastures in the Gulf of California. They are found throughout the Hawaiian Islands, most notably in Oahu and Lanai and west in the waters of the French Frigate Shoals. The Turtle Islands of the Philippines and the Meru Betiri National Reserve in East Java, Indonesia boast healthy populations. Green turtles are scattered throughout the Great Barrier Reef, but exist in high concentrations around Raine Island. The waters around Madagascar support Africa’s population of green turtles. The Arabian Sea also attracts the turtles, especially in Ash Sharqiyah, Oman and Karachi, Pakistan. In the same area, the waters surrounding Astola Island, a large nesting site, have plenty of green turtles to fill your bottom time.
Chuuk Atoll (also referred to as Truk) in the Caroline Islands of Micronesia is infamous for its enormous lagoon. The lagoon is the final resting place for more than 100 ships, planes and submarines – the legacy of a fierce World War II battle in 1944 between the Imperial Japanese Fleet and Allied carrier planes. The majority of the wrecks lie off DubIon, Eten, Fefan and Uman Islands. Their cargoes of tanks, trucks, airplanes, mines, bombs, machine gun bullets and thousands of other artifacts like china and sake bottles are there to be explored. These wrecks are now fully incorporated into the environment as “artificial reefs,” but also stand as monuments to those lives that were lost in the battle. A healthy dose of respect and reverence as well as a “no touch” attitude is necessary to dive Truk.
Diving is good year-round in Truk Lagoon. Since it is sheltered from the Pacific Ocean currents and waves, the diving is easy and relaxed. Visibility varies with the dive site and other conditions, but is normally 60-100ft. The water temperature is 81-86°F (27-30°C) year round. A 1mm wetsuit is adequate thermal protection for most divers. There is plenty of marine life including fish and healthy coral to see in Truk, but the real stars of the show are the wrecks themselves, as well as their cargo. Some of the more interesting sites include:
Fujikawa Maru – The 437 ft. long Fujikawa Maru was a Japanese freighter that served as an armed aircraft ferry with six holds, four of which are open. She sits upright on the sea floor with the upper decks covered in brilliant soft corals. Lionfish, blennys, anemones with clownfish make this wreck one of the most popular dives in the lagoon. The cargo hold contains parts for Zero fighters including props, wings, fuselages as well as aircraft guns, machine gun bullets and sake bottles. There are large deck guns on the bow and stern, and the engine room with machine shop is well worth a visit. Divers can swim through the wreck and out through the torpedo hole that sank her. Any trip to Truk lagoon includes multiple visits to this fascinating wreck.
Amagisan Maru – Built 1933, the Amagisan Maru met its end from both bomb and torpedo hits. It lies on its port side in pretty deep water, so there isn’t a lot of coral growth. But, what it lacks in coral it more than makes up for in unique features, including a large hole in the forward hold from a torpedo hit that divers can swim through, an intact bow gun, and cargo holds overflowing with aircraft spare parts, bikes, cars, trucks and fuel drums.
Heian Maru – The 530 ft. long Heian Maru lies on her side in 110 ft. of water. Though once a passenger ship, she was used by the Japanese Sixth Submarine Fleet as their headquarters during the war. This wreck boasts two enormous propellers and some interesting torpedo warheads (a perfect example of where the “no touch” attitude is needed).
San Francisco Maru – The 385 ft. long San Francisco Maru was used to ferry equipment and supplies. One of the oldest ships in the Lagoon, the San Francisco Maru was built in 1919. The bottom of the stern is at 210 ft. with the front mast reaching to 90 ft. Several tanks, a truck, a few fuel tankers, an aircraft tug, a steamroller and some intact mines can all be spotted in the hold.
Nippo Maru – The 353 ft. long Nippo Maru sits upright, but slightly slanted, at a depth of 50 to 150 feet. There is little coral due to the depth but this ship has the best preserved wheelhouse (complete with telegraph) in the lagoon. The holds are quite interesting, full of shells, mines, fuel drums, crates of sake bottles, artillery guns, a tank, and 2 trucks. Water transportation tanks can be spotted in the forward hold. The deck has a cargo of (possibly) captured American guns and three intact anti aircraft guns. Glass fish and jellyfish appear all over this site.
Shinkoku Maru – The well-preserved, 500 ft. long Shinkoku Maru is one of the most colorful and spectacular dives in Truck because of the significant sea life covering her. This tanker sits upright on the sea floor in about 38 metres of water, 12 metres to the top of the bridge and 20 meters to the main deck. Her wheelhouse and forward deck are covered with soft corals and sponges in shades of red, yellow, pink and white. Divers consistently see schools of tropical fish in the shallow areas of this wreck. Small guns are mounted fore and aft.
Submarine 1-169- Lying on its port side in about 38 meters of water, is the 343½ foot long submarine, the I-169. During the war, the sub was converted to a troop and supply carrier. It submerged during the battle, but due to an error in closing the main induction valve, the sub sunk, never to see the surface again. This wreck is interesting for its structure; there is limited coral and sponge growth.
Rio De Janeiro Maru – The 463 foot long Rio De Janeiro Maru was a combined passenger cargo liner that was converted to a submarine tender and depot ship before being re-classified as a transport and based in Truk. A direct bomb hit made her one of the first ships to become a wreck in the lagoon. She lies on the starboard side with the deck only 15 meters from the surface. Knowledgeable guides can take divers on a tour of the ship’s insides and enormous engine room. The holds contain supplies such as crates of beer bottles, empty sake bottles and 6″ guns from scrapped cruisers destined for a coastal battery. Divers particularly enjoy exploring the huge props and rudder, where they are usually accompanied by equally impressive-sized fish.
Sankisan Maru –The Sankisan Maru was a medium sized freighter that was built 1920, then captured by the Japanese 1942 and turned into a supply ship. It was sunk by a bomb hit that ignited ordnance stored in its hold, resulting in bridge to stern destruction. The forward part of ship is still well preserved. The holds contain Zero engines, bullets, and medicine bottles. Divers can see trucks on the deck. This ship’s masts go almost to the surface and are covered in an abundance of colorful coral and tropical fish.
Plane Wrecks – Approximately 250 airplanes were destroyed in the lagoon. There are many warplanes at relatively shallow depths that are ideal for 2nd and 3rd dives later in a diving day. Some of the notable airplane wrecks are:
- Upside Down Zero, a Mitsubishi A6M5 attack fighter, in 60 ft. of water
- Betty Bomber, a Mitsubishsi G4M1 attack bomber 65 ft. long with an 82 ft. wingspan that sits in 50 feet of water
- The Emily Flying Boat and Kate Torpedo Bomber
Reef Dives – Though divers usually think of Truk as a wreck destination, there are actually a number of good reef dives on the other edges of Chuuk’s barrier reef. Here divers can visit the passes or vertical walls on the outside of the reef. Visibility on the outside of Truk Lagoon is generally very good, often surpassing 200 ft. Sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, tuna and schools of fish are frequently seen. Sites include: Northeast Pass, Salat Pass, Shark Reef and Pisamwe Drop-off.
Jell-O at Jellyfish Lake
In the 1960’s Jacques Yves Cousteau claimed Palau’s underwater walls, reefs and drop offs as the world’s best. Forty+ years later, divers still agree with this assessment. Palau, formally known as the Republic of Palau, or Belau to native Palauans, is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean about 2000 miles south of Tokyo, but with less baseball. The Spanish, Germans, Japanese, and finally the Americans have all played Gilligan’s Island in Palau, leaving a pinch of customs, language, and technology here and there. Palau was a part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which the U.S. headed at the end of World War II. In 1994 the Republic of Palau moved out of their parent’s basement and became independent.
This island nation has cultivated their underwater tourism by encouraging hotel development around the capital city, Koror, and by establishing numerous dive operators. But the true fuel of the dive trade in Palau isn’t manmade: the nation boasts 100+ pristine dive sites and healthy, diverse, and prolific sea life. Palau has over 1500 types of fish and 700 coral and anemone species. Most of the dive sites are sure to produce sightings of the 6 different kinds of sharks and 5 different kinds of turtles found there. While there are too many fantastic dives to name, below are a few of my favorites.
Read moreBlue Corner – Listing this site is not surprising, as it is the most famous one in Palau and is lauded in dive magazines and books alike. But, it is hands-down my favorite dive in the whole world, so it gets the top spot on the list. Here a finger of land extends out into deep water off the southwestern area of the Ngemelis Islands, creating a unique outcropping of rock and coral. Sand gullies cut through the reef, which drops down to a large ledge in about 50ft, before disappearing into the endless blue. A wicked current usually whips around this point bringing tasty nutrients and hungry fish. Local dive guides invented the “reef hook”, a lanyard that attaches to your BC and hooks into dead piece of coral. By slightly inflating the scuba vest and facing the open ocean beyond the edge of the wall, divers can watch the activity unfold without getting tired and using up all of their air. Visibility is good, ranging from 60’ to 90’.If conditions are at their best then expect to see swirling schools of barracuda and jacks, snapper and bass, huge Maori wrasse and dozens of whitetip and grey reef sharks. On several dives there, the most curious of the sharks would swim right towards us, veering off at the last moment before we soiled our wetsuits. I imagined them picking each of us off one by one, in Goldilocks and the Three Bears style: that diver is too thin, that one’s got too much gear, that one’s just right. Other sea life highlights at this site include: pink and violet coral, pyramid butterflyfish, spotted eagle rays, square anthias, yellowtail fusiliers, sargent majors, moorish idols, emperor angelfish, midnight parrotfish and stingrays.
Jellyfish Lake – Jellyfish Lake is on one of the rock islands, Mecherchar. The lake is completely isolated, although the limestone allows for an exchange of salinity with the ocean. The lake is filled with mastigias and moon jellyfish. Because of their isolation from predators these jellies have lost their ability to sting, so they have adapted to feeding on symbiotic algae instead. It is an excellent study in evolution, an example of function driving form that Darwin would have loved. Of course no adventure in Palau is an easy one, but if you can get over the difficulties of accessing the site, it is completely worth it. In order to get to the lake one has to hike 20 minutes up and over the lip of the island. In some places the trail is good and even has a rope to steady the climber. In others, it is just a mud slide. Along the route there are several instances of an indigenous tree that leaks poisonous sap. And, of course, every once in awhile there is the tour bus of saltwater crocodiles that seem to appear at all the good Palauan activities. Scuba is not allowed in the lake because of a toxic layer of hydrogen sulfide found at 50 feet, so technically this is a snorkel, not a dive. But, inconveniences aside, swimming through the water with the jellies is like pushing handfuls of Jell-O. It is an experience like no other in the world.
Wreck of the Iro – This wreck, the most famous in Palau, is located at Urukthapel Bay. It is 470ft long and weighed 14,050 tons. The Iro was one of a fleet of 10 Shiretoko class freighters. She sank on 31 March 1944 and rests upright on a silt and sand bottom 130ft below the surface. When you descend, you’ll come across a large gun mounted on the bow. The deck is still relatively intact as is the starboard anchor. The bridge has easy access, but the crews’ quarters underneath require you to penetrate the hull. There is a gun that is still fixed to the stern. Divers can peer into the engine room because its ceiling had been demolished. The masts and kingpost have attracted a wide variety of invertebrate life; from sponges, to staghorn coral, sea whips, black coral, giant clams and oysters. Batfish, large pufferfish, 8-banded butterflyfish, orangebanded butterflyfish, and small big-eye trevally are commonly found along the ship.
The Blue Holes- This site consists of four uniquely formed blue holes in the reef that drop into a large cavern which then opens out on the reef wall into the surrounding ocean. In the inside of the cavern, visibility ranges from 45 to 120’. On sunny days great shafts of light beam down through the upper openings, lighting up interior all the way to the bottom at 110ft, like a large cathedral. In inner walls are covered with a variety of cup & stylaster corals and huge whip corals sprout from the cavern roof. Look for fish swimming upside down on the ceiling of the cavern. But, this geological anomaly delivers not only a cavern dive, but also a drift and wall dive once divers exit through one of two openings on the reef face. Grouper, napoleon wrasse, triggerfish, moorish idols, butterflyfish, anemones and turtles are all found here.
German Channel – Located with Ngemelis Island on the left and Ngedebus Island on the right, German Channel was built in the 1900’s, when the German administration blasted through the reef to complete the natural channel and allow ships to pass from the southern islands of Peleliu and Angaur to Koror. Today it is used as passage through the south-western barrier reef to many of the outer dive sites. It is not actually in German Channel that people dive, but at the entrance to the channel at an area usually known as German Channel Wall or Drop-Off. Here, some 200 yards from the entrance to the channel itself, the seafloor, at a depth of 50-60ft consists of a sandy substrate interspersed with large individual coral formations. This dive is popular for its manta cleaning station, where the manta and the occasional reef shark come to be cleaned by cleaner wrasse. You can also see other kinds of rays including sting rays, spotted eagle rays, and ornate eagle rays.
Ulong Channel – This drift dive site is situated on the west coast of Palau, close to Siaes Tunnel. The entrance is covered with coral gardens and the channel itself stretches some 500m – at an average width of 33m – to the lagoon. There is a sandy bottom at the entrance where shark gather together to feed on the fish that are swept inside. The bottom varies in depth from between 10-15m and is clear of coral, but the sides are decorated with soft coral and sea fans. Diving Ulong can only be done on an incoming tide; fresh, clean water is pushed into the channel and you essentially hitch a ride and go with the flow. If the current is really ripping then you have almost no chance of back tracking if you see something of interest. About half way the channel splits into two – the left hand route is the best, as a huge stand of green lettuce coral grows along the flank of this section; amongst the corals large anemones are home to clownfish and shrimps. The right hand route also has some good fan corals, but is not as good. After 20 minutes drifting down the channel it breaks out into the lagoon. Divers will be able to see tons of plate coral that houses squirrelfish, glasseyes and soldier fish. If the current is strong there will be as many or more sharks concentrated at the mouth of the channel as at Blue Corner on a good day.
Saies Tunnel – This site is an enormous underwater cavern with three openings into the chamber from the side of the reef wall. The entrance to the cavern starts at approximately 100 feet and the bottom is over 140 feet. The sheer wall that starts at the surface drops down to 200 feet and beyond to the open ocean. Often, sleeping whitetips and stingrays can be seen relaxing at the back of the cavern. The roof and walls of the cavern are covered in a variety of cup corals, black coral, stylasters and hydroids. The bottom slopes up toward two large sea fan-covered windows that allow light to penetrate the cavern and provide exit points to the reef wall. The bottom of Saies Tunnel is deep – about 130ft – so time spent in the interior is short, but upon exiting there are rewarding opportunities along the reef itself – wonderful hard corals, sea fans and tropical fish, including pyramid butterfly fish and brightly colored anthias. A great dive, but not for novices.
Peleliu Cut – Peleliu Cut is part of a vertical wall, which runs along the western side of Peleliu Island, turns and extends to Peleliu Corner at the most southerly point within the main island group of Palau. This section of the reef, which includes Peleliu Wall, is the deepest reef structure in Palau. The top of the reef is a plateau that gradually drops from 30 feet in front of the WWII monument to 90 feet where Peleliu Expressway and Peleliu Cut merge to create Peleliu Corner. The top of the plateau hosts large numbers of tropical fish including pyramid butterflyfish, square anthias, moorish idols, sergeant majors, yellowtail fusiliers, palette surgeonfish, bumphead parrotfish and purple anthias. It is also common to see large congregations of jacks, batfish, and snapper. Dense concentrations of bright yellow soft corals, long strands of cable corals, big bushes of black corals and sea fans decorate the sheer reef wall. An insane amount of pelagic fish have been seen at the Cut and the Corner, including sperm whales, whale sharks, tiger sharks, bull sharks, orcas, sailfish, and blue marlin. The swift, unpredictable currents here make this an advanced dive not appropriate for the faint of heart!
Sexy Cephalopod
Few creatures are as exciting to spot underwater as an octopus. They are smart and good at camouflage, so finding one is always a treat. Plus, they are just beautiful animals to see, with lots of color, shape and size variations. These creatures come in a wide range of options, some as little as an inch, some as large as 16 feet across. The octopus inhabits many diverse regions of the oceans around the world, especially coral reefs, and can exist in water depths from tidal pools all the way down to over 200 feet. For defense against predators, they hide, flee quickly, expel ink, or use color-changing camouflage. Scientists say that most of an octopus’ behavior is learned, not innate, a minor miracle since their lifespan is so darn short (5 years at the absolute most!)
There are about 300 recognized octopus species in the world, too many to cover in depth. But, some are amazing, even by octopus standards, and are worth a mention:
Mimic Octopus – This octopus only lives for 9 months, but boy it accomplishes a lot during that time. This crazy cephalopod takes on the appearance of other species to scare off predators and find food. Imagine a creature burying all but its eyes and two arms below the sand, leaving in view a long thin object with white and black bands running across the elongated body that looks just like the local sea snake. Now you’ve got the mental picture of why the Mimic Octopus is so unique. It usually imitates venomous species, like a lionfish, sea snake, or a poisonous flatfish, though people have also described it looking like a stingray, a crab, and other types of less lethal sea life. Divers can find this octopus off the Indo- Malay archipelago, especially around Sulawesi. Don’t worry though, it isn’t poisonous to humans.
Caribbean Reef Octopus – The Caribbean Reef Octopus isn’t the best looking octopus out there, but if you have been scuba diving in the Caribbean and seen an octopus, chances are this is the most likely suspect. It is common throughout the Western Atlantic, Bahamas, Caribbean and the coasts of northern South America. It is often found at night feeding on reefs and sea grass beds. They have a distinctive blue-green color with occasional mottled-brown markings. Because their blue-green skin is so reflective, they are easy to spot at night with dive lights. Like other octopus species, the Caribbean reef octopus is solitary animal and able to quickly change color using specialized cells in their skin known as chromatophores. They can weigh up to 1.5 kg, but have been known to wedge themselves into miniscule reef crevices and wreck holes.
Wonderpus Octopus – The Wonderpus Octopus has got to be the sexiest cephalopod out there, with a striking color pattern of white bars and spots over a brown-red background. It’s characterized by a small mantle (the part of the body that contains the mouth and vital organs), which is about an inch to an inch-and-a-half long, and long arms that measure about five to seven times the length of the mantle. Its patterns of spots (on the body) and stripes (on the arms) are unique to each individual adult wonderpus, making identification of a specific creature possible. Divers can find the wonderpus in shallow waters from Bali and Sulawesi north to the Philippines and east to Vanuatu, and will fare best looking for the creature when it is most active in the twilight hours of dusk and dawn. This creature is a relative newcomer to the fish identification guides, with the first identification happening only in 1980. Go ahead, say it: won-der-pus. Even its name is sexy.
Blue Ringed Octopus
Greater Blue-ringed Octopus
– No discussion about octopi could be complete without mentioning the little one we love to hate, the Blue-ringed Octopus. Unlike its southern brethren, the Blue-lined and Southern Blue-ringed octopuses that are found only in Australian waters, the range of the Greater Blue-ringed Octopus spans the tropical western Pacific Ocean. Greater Blue-ringed Octopuses can weigh between 10 and 100 grams, though the average is 55 grams. The blue-ringed octopus is the size of a golf ball, but its venom is powerful enough to kill humans, and no known antidote exists. Remember the James Bond movie Octopussy? Yes, it’s that one.
White-spotted Octopus – Humans have been watching the white-spotted octopus since 1826 when it was first spotted off the coast of Nice in the Mediterranean Sea. It spends its adult life on the ocean bottom, and although divers usually see this octopus hanging out near-shore it sometimes it can be found much deeper. This octopus has long arms, with the first arm pair being the longest and stoutest, and has shallow webbing among the arms. It also has a higher sucker count than most octopuses. This is a nocturnal creature, waiting until night to find its favorite snacks of clams and crabs. The white-spotted octopus only lives for 1-2 years after which it goes out with a “bang” (literally) after a single breeding season.
Giant Pacific Octopus – This is the big daddy of all octopi, the Giant Pacific Octopus. As the name would suggest, it is the largest species of octopus in the oceans, averaging 16 feet across and weighing an average of 120 lbs. It is also the longest lived, at 4-5 years. Divers can spot this behemoth from southern California, northward along the coast of North America, across the Aleutian Islands, and southward to Japan, though they usually hang out quite deep, typically at around 215 ft. But just because they are big doesn’t mean they are beautiful: Giant Pacific octopuses have huge, bulbous heads and are generally reddish-brown in color. Like the other members of the octopus family, though, they use special pigment cells in their skin to change colors and textures, and can blend in with even the most intricately patterned corals, plants, and rocks.
Sometimes when I am surfing the net looking for blog post ideas, I really struggle to find unique, humorous topics to discuss. This is not one of those days. Thank you, National Geographic, for making my job so easy.
The NG Channel has an interesting series on the science behind wild animals and natural phenomenon. Last night they ran a fabulous episode, but don’t worry, they are re-running it several times.
“In January 2004, a dead sperm whale weighing over 50 tons washed up on the coast of Tainan, Taipei. On the way to Tainan University for research, the whale exploded due to volatile gas build up in its abdomen.”
So this already deceased whale washes up on shore (if they had killed it I would not run this story), and someone comes up with the brilliant idea to strap it to a flat bed truck and drive it over to the research lab at the University to determine the cause of death and study the species. Oh yes, there are pictures of it riding the flat bed. Apparently there are no back roads in Taipei, so they have to take it straight through town. Oh yes, there are pictures of it cruising the town. At about the same time the whale is touring the sites, a very unlucky man parks his car in front of the local supermarket and runs in for just a few items. Oh yes, there are pictures of the formerly white car. Oh no, I don’t mean the dead whale leaked a bit on the way there. It actually exploded forcibly, spewing its unfortunate contents all over the street, sidewalk, passersby, cars, etc.
There are other fascinating photos on the NG website, such as a worker hosing whale entrails off the street (really now, what else could they do?) I also like the quote in the story that “Local residents were overwhelmed by the stench from the whale.” Strangely absent, however, was any quote establishing that “Local residents were surprised by the appearance of the whale outside their apartment windows” in the first place.
I’m not really sure what all of the mollusk fuss is about. To me they look like aquatic portabellas or perhaps marine potatoes. But enthusiasts around the world see so much more in the abalone, enough to dive in cold, shark infested waters to collect the beauties. Fans of Abalone diving and eating go to great lengths to celebrate the sport with festivals, cook-offs, and in prose (All Abalone are Deaf by Felix Macias.) I’m always looking for new diving opportunities, so I decided to find out more.
Where can I find these things? The majority of abalone species are found in cold waters, off the Southern Hemisphere coasts of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, and Western North America and Japan in the Northern Hemisphere. Due to dwindling natural supply of abalone and increasing demand, some countries have begun farming the critters, including China, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Chile, Iceland, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States. Abalone are mostly taken in depths from a few inches up to 10 m (33 ft.) Abalone are normally found on rocks near food sources like kelp. Divers commonly dive out of boats, kayaks, tube floats or directly off the shore.
How do I dive for abalone? It turns out that scuba diving for abalone is illegal in most parts of the world. Instead you have to freedive for them, which makes sense since they are usually pretty shallow. An abalone diver sports the usual gear like a thick wetsuit, booties, gloves, mask, snorkel, and a weight belt. You also need an abalone iron which is used to pry the mollusk off the rock it is so fond of, and an abalone gauge to make sure the size is large enough to take legally.
This is a good time to mention the insanely stringent regulations surrounding the recreational hunting of abalone due to their severely threatened populations. In addition to the aforementioned no scuba rules, there are limits to the number taken, the size taken and the time of year the tasties are collected. These vary by country and even by city, with strict penalties for non-compliance. Some places like California have law enforcement professionals dedicated to catching abalone thieves not following the rules (where did those taxpayer dollars go?) So before you go setting your mind to hunting abalone, you should check the local regulations.
I found one! Now what do I do with it? Abalone are basically sea snails, conceptually similar to conch. You can serve it raw like sushi, or steam it, saute it, boil it, bake it, or even serve it like a “steak.” Winning cook-off recipes have made it into cakes (like a crab cake, not chocolate, thanks), battered it in beer and even mixed it into tomato sauce over pasta. The key appears to be cleaning the fresh mollusk correctly, removing the lip, tough foot and guts. A thorough pounding of the meat with a heavy mallet also seems to contribute to a tasty outcome.
So although I can’t put my scuba skills to work, it does seem like hunting for the great abalone is an interesting proposition. Although I’m not crazy about continuing to deplete the population of this animal which has been so highly regarded for so very long, I do like the idea of celebrating its existence in so many tasty ways. Perhaps I’ll stick to the farmed version and dive for something else instead.
Hey baby, what's your sign?
I recently started asking around for new blog ideas, and got an earful of weird dive experiences from my fellow recreational divers. It was an unusual accumulation of aquatic encounters that I just had to put together into a post.
Subway Cars – “Early in 2009 I dove the Atlantic City Reef to see the NYC subway cars that they put there the year before. It was really strange to see some of them sitting upright, looking like they were waiting to pull out of the station. Some sediment had built up on the seats, looking like somebody stuck more gum on them. I love diving wrecks, but I’ve never seen anything manmade look so bizarre underwater. At least boats were meant for the ocean!” -Rick T.
Divemaster Feeding a Moray from his Mouth – “I just got back from a trip to Moorea in French Polynesia, where I went on a shark feed dive. After most of the fish pieces had been fed to the sharks, one of the divemasters started feeding pieces of tuna to a moray eel who had stuck his head out of the nearby reef. Apparently unsatisfied with his hand-feeding technique, the divemaster took out his regulator, put a piece of tuna in his mouth, and then swam over to give the moray a mouth-to-mouth feeding experience. I guess he thought the move was funny or clever, but I just thought: What a dumbass!” -Tony A.
Wall of Jellyfish – “Diving Jellyfish Lake in Palau was definitely the strangest dive ever. Actually I was freediving because you can’t scuba in the lake. When I first got in the water I didn’t see anything. But then as I swam out into the middle of the lake where the sun was hitting the water, I ran into a wall of jellyfish so thick I couldn’t see through it. They were everywhere; it was like swimming in jell-o.” –Amanda B.
Squid Sex – “In Bonaire my dive group came across a pod of squid during one early morning dive. The squid kept circling each other and would occasionally flash different colors or make their skin look striped. Back onshore I asked our divemaster about it because I had never seen squid do that before. Usually they just hang out in a line and get spooked if you get too close. Turns out the behavior was “cephalopod mating rituals,” a.k.a. squid sex.” Michael R
Narwhals are one-of-a-kind sea creatures, with a long spiraling tusk that has earned them the nickname Unicorns of the Sea. For hundreds of years, sightings of these mammals have spawned tales of mermaids and sea monsters when sailors and explorers have encountered them. In reality, these aquatic beauties are related to bottlenose dolphins, belugas, harbor porpoises, and orcas. Their natural habitat is the Atlantic portion of the Arctic Ocean. They are also found in fewer numbers in the Greenland Sea, extending to the coast of Russia.
The narwhal is 13 to 16 feet in length and weighs between 2,200 and 3,500 pounds, living exclusively on a diet of fish and squid. They are often sighted swimming in groups of 15 to 20, but gatherings of hundreds or more have been reported. A notable quality of the Narwhal is its ability to perform incredibly deep dives for a marine mammal, going to at least 800 meters (2,400 feet) with many dives reaching 1,500 meters (4,500 feet).
Their diving skill aside, the most unique feature of the Narwhal is, of course, the tusk, which is actually one of its two upper teeth. After the first year of a male narwhal’s life, its left tooth grows outward, spirally. This long, single tooth projects from its upper jaw and can grow to be 7-10 feet long. Marine biologists disagree on the evolutionary purpose of the tusk, sighting mating appeal, a defensive weapon and a fish-sensing antenna as possible uses.
Usually humans spot narwhals on the ocean’s surface, but there is the possibility (albeit limited) of scuba diving with these amazing creatures. April is the only month where Arctic diving is realistically possible, as it’s the warmest month of the year there, when the raging cold reduces to a still-really-chilly dull roar. Of course you will need your dry suit as well as high-tech microfiber undergarments to keep you from turning into an ice cube in the approximately 28 degree water. And a cold-water regulator is a must, as your “regular” regulator will cease to function before you even get in the water.
Once you are ready, it’s time to find someone to take you there. Few people on this earth have the scuba know-how and the means to organize an undertaking like this on their own. A few companies offer expedition-like trips to the Arctic Circle and can, for a price, incorporate diving into the itinerary. Their role includes finding pods of narwhals and other whales to see, an important part of the equation when one is talking about 1000s of miles of open ocean where these animals live.
To date, few people, other than scientists, can say they have gone scuba diving with the Unicorn of the Sea. But increased availability of ice diving training, improved ice diving gear and an ever-growing body of knowledge about these creatures is improving the chance that you too can dive with these unusual aquatic wonders.
This is not a Great White, but he plays one on TV...
Upon arrival at the dive site, the captain anchored the boat while the divemaster jumped up on the boat’s bench seat and prepared to deliver his briefing. The divemaster was long and lean, with flowing hair bleached blond by the sun. He appeared confident, even cocky, an attitude fueled by the successful execution of hundreds of shark feeds without any noticeable loss of his body parts.
“Okay, who has done a shark feed before?” No one raised their hands. “Okay, so who has gone diving in Moorea before?” Again, no one raised their hands. We were a really impressive group. “So, has anyone actually done any scuba diving anywhere?”
“We just got certified in Bora Bora,” I said proudly, an admission met with congratulations from the other divers. The divemaster’s face fell.
“Okay, so we will keep this easy. Descend directly to the bottom. I will show you where to go. Do not move around. Do not gesture or hold your hands out towards the sharks. Do not make erratic movements.” Do not pass go. Do not collect $100. Do not feel bad about pushing the diver next to you towards the shark’s open mouth if it looks like it is going to attack.
As the other divers suited up, I peered over the side of the boat into the bottomless cobalt abyss. The sky had clouded up, causing the water to appear murky and foreboding. Off the back of the boat I noticed fins breaking the surface, lots of them.
“What are those?” I asked the divemaster.
“Reef sharks. Small ones,” he said. “They know they’re gonna get fed, so they’re waiting for us. They’ll leave when the big guys show up.”
This endeavor began to look less and less like a great idea. Clearly we were expected to jump into the water with the sharks swirling on the surface, like lobsters dropped into a boiling pot of water. I envisioned the sharks heating up some drawn butter in anticipation of our entry. We geared up, preparing to take the plunge. I lingered while putting on my scuba vest, cleaning my mask, and slipping on my fins in hopes of being the last diver to jump into the water. The shark “feeder,” one of the crew members, donned a suit made of heavy woven chain designed to protect him from shark bites. The chain mail suit covered him from head to toe in medieval scuba chic. He looked like a tropical Knight of the Round Table.
The moment divers entered the water, the surface sharks disappeared. I took a giant stride off the back of the boat and instantly felt more relaxed as I soaked up the warm, 80 degree water. As we descended the visibility improved and I realized the depth was only 35 feet. The sloped, rocky sea floor undulated with deep grooves like mini canyons extending out towards deeper water. The divemaster guided our group to a point at the shallower end of one of the grooves and gestured for us to stay put. Holding a stationary position would be difficult, however, because the significant waves at the surface created a surge of water down below. With each passing wave, we floated forward and back five feet. Despite our best efforts, we could not control it; the water moved each diver with a force that flailing arms and legs just couldn’t combat.
I heard the splash as the heavily-weighted shark feeder entered the water. As he sank to the bottom about 25 feet in front of us, I noticed he held a large bag full of fish bits for feeding. A tsunami of small fish engulfed him, greedily eyeing up his bag of food as he prepared for the feeding frenzy. Sir Fish Head took a chunk of snack out of his bag and placed it on the end of a long, pointed stick, which could double nicely as a jousting lance later in the day if needed. Appearing suddenly from the blue, as if by magic, was a small black-tip reef shark. It snatched the piece of fish then like a shot disappeared back into the blue. The surrounding small fish went crazy picking up the bits of fish flesh the shark left behind.