Boat Review.:More Articles:.
The Phoenix Kayak Adventure!
The Scuba Diver, the Fisherman & the Spearo By Stone Meharry & Tine Funderud, Goat Island Dive and Snorkel. Who wants to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a huge boat, trailer and all the constant maintenance that comes with it, when there is a cheaper and more convenient offer out there? It’s a new age for kayaks and they have come to satisfy your needs. Who would have thought going diving, fishing …
Southern Pacific’s New X-Tender Range of RIBs
By Ron Czerniak, Marine Consultant. As I drove to Army Bay Whangaporaoa Peninsula north of Auckland to meet with Tristan Campbell of Southern Pacific Inflatables where I was to dive from and review their new X-Tender 350 RIB I thought about time travel. It seemed like only yesterday (but in fact was forty years ago) that I used to take my dive students out for their first open water scuba dives from …
Cave Diving.:More Articles:.
Cave Diving with Adrenaline
By Tom Crisp Ahead of me the darkness looms, drawing me ever deeper into the watery void. My reel slowly spins in my hand as I let the line fall gently into position. Bubbles rush past my ears with each breath, a constant reminder that I only have a limited supply remaining. But what is around the corner? Does the passage keep going? I press on, delicately maneuvering over the clay bank that would surely lower my …
Pearse Resurgence – Quest or Obsession?
But today I carry on over the pit, 32 000 lumens of light mounted on the scooter showing me a view of the passage I have not seen before with my usual dim dive light. The goal is to check the end of the passage in this area that I have always assumed ended in solid rock. Next to me, cave diver Dave Hurst is enjoying his first really deep dive in this cave and I can almost sense the smile behind his mask. He is …
Commercial Diving.:More Articles:.
A Diving Pioneer: Recollections & Training – We Compare with Today’s Training
Above L–R: Bill Young, Ivor Howitt and Ted Eldred. Bill with a Siebe Gorman unit with a side-hung oxygen bottle; Ivor with a Siebe Gorman unit that could be the first brought to Australia; Ted with two unique oxygen scuba units. Historical documents supplied by Ivor Howitt. Compiled by Dive New Zealand magazine. Back in the 1940s, it was all about diving for adventure. The diving pathways these pioneers …
NZUA: Dive Safe
Master of Small Commercial Dive Boat (MSCDB) qualification is an approved training framework endorsed by Maritime NZ and now falls under the Maritime Rule Part 35.70 and 35.72. The MSCDB is classed as dive industry specific and therefore can only be held by persons currently working within the dive industry and is a five-year certification. There are yearly requirements for the holder of the MSCDB including annual …
Conservation/Scientific (marine life).:More Articles:.
2016 – RAEWYN PEART
It is with great pleasure that we announce the 14th recipient of this Award is Raewyn Peart, BSocSc (Waikato), BCom (Otago), LLB (Otago), MCom (Natal), Policy Director, Environmental Defence Society. The Award is primarily for those who have contributed huge amounts of time and effort to conserving the ocean environment and/or helping making others aware of it, for no real personal financial gain or glory. Their …
Species Focus: Packhorse Lobster (Sagmariasus verreauxi)
By Paul Caiger. The packhorse is a species of spiny lobster (aka crayfish) that only lives in this corner of the world, predominantly in northern New Zealand and eastern Australia. Packhorse lobsters are among the most primitive lobster species, with a unique olive green colouration and smooth abdomen, and have recently been moved into their own genus. Unrivalled for size, it is the largest of all the spiny …
Dive Medicine.:More Articles:.
Advanced Knowledge Series: Are All Carbon Dioxide Absorbents the same?
By Associate Professor Simon Mitchell, University of Auckland. Introduction and recap This is the fifth in a series of articles appearing in Dive New Zealand with the aim of enhancing knowledge of selected practically important issues in diving physiology and medicine. In the first article we discussed how carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced in the tissues during the utilisation of oxygen. CO2 is eliminated from the …
Advanced Knowledge Series: The Gas Density Conundrum
By Associate Professor Simon Mitchell, University of Auckland. Introduction and recap This is the fourth in a series of articles appearing in Dive New Zealand / Dive Pacific with the aim of enhancing knowledge of selected practically important issues in diving physiology and medicine. In the first article we discussed how carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced in the tissues during the utilisation of oxygen. CO2 is …
Diving in New Zealand.:More Articles:.
Dive Destination New Zealand: Mercury Bay – Coromandel
By Lee Czerniak. Images supplied by Dive Zone Whitianga. Whitianga on Mercury Bay is one of the most popular spots on the Coromandel Peninsular. Doubtless, the Mercury Islands (known for their diving and fishing spots) are part of the allure that calls the diver to visit these waters. The Mercury Islands were named by Captain James Cook because they are close to the place where he observed the transit of the …
Further Comments on Dive Fatalities: A Matter of Perspective?
Why the Fatalities – Training? Or just plain Attitude? Or a bit of both? By Keith Cardwell, PhD. Diving is an adventure. Adventure often brings risks. And risks often have dire consequences. But most of the time for the majority of us, it brings just sheer pleasure and one that I experience frequently when I dive the Great Barrier Reef. Every day there I see folk having a go at what we do – doing one of …
Diving Pioneers.:More Articles:.
A Diving Pioneer: Recollections & Training – We Compare with Today’s Training
Above L–R: Bill Young, Ivor Howitt and Ted Eldred. Bill with a Siebe Gorman unit with a side-hung oxygen bottle; Ivor with a Siebe Gorman unit that could be the first brought to Australia; Ted with two unique oxygen scuba units. Historical documents supplied by Ivor Howitt. Compiled by Dive New Zealand magazine. Back in the 1940s, it was all about diving for adventure. The diving pathways these pioneers …
Fighting Divers
Fighting Divers by Roger Meecham Images Pete Mesley During the summer of 1842 an incident occurred at Spithead that was to be the first and possibly the only recorded occasion when two friendly, but rival divers began fighting underwater. At Spithead that summer Major General Pasley had 24 men of the Royal Sappers and Miners and 10 men from the East India Company of Sappers, employed in the …
Editorial.:More Articles:.
State of Gulf Report a further wake up call
Like a cancer, metre by metre, litre by litre New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf, the big pond that leads you to New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, is steadily losing its battle to maintain a healthy environment for all marine creatures, birds, and for people to enjoy. Many of you would be aware of the recent 106 page Report released on the 2nd March 2018 by the Hauraki Gulf Forum which is a statutory body …
New Zealand not so green?
You would be aware of the New Zealand Fishing Industry request to Government to keep secret material including video collected from commercial fishing vessels. Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been developing a new digital monitoring regime, called the Integrated Electronic Monitoring and Reporting System, which would record information including video of fishing activities on-board all commercial …
Fishing.:More Articles:.
Spearheading the Solomons
By Clarke Gayford. What an otherworldly experience it must have been for Solomon Islanders at the outbreak of the Second World War. To go from eking out a simple yet bountiful existence in their pristine part of the Pacific, to suddenly being caught up in one of the most tactically significant battles between the flexing might of Japan and the United States. How strange it must have been to have two foreign …
Soft Baits
By Bruce Duncan Divers who are into fishing will always have a huge advantage over the average fisherman. When you spend so much time underwater looking for your food (eg crayfish) you become more aware of the …
Free Diving.:More Articles:.
Trans-Tasman Team Freediving Competition (T3C)
By Shelley Gurney. From 4–6 August, the AUT Millennium National Aquatic Centre in Auckland, New Zealand hosted the inaugural Trans-Tasman Team Freediving Competition, pitting two Australian teams and two New Zealand teams against each other, along with a club competition running in parallel to allow new competitors the chance to experience competition with top names in world freediving. The plan was to foster …
Renowned Freediver Ant Williams lets us into his World of Competitive Freediving
Interview by Dave Moran, Editor. Dave: Ant, tell us a little about your life before freediving. Ant: When I was growing up I loved sport but wasn’t any good at it. Tried surfing but that went nowhere! I started a Physical Education course at Otago University which gave me ambitions to either be a coach or a PE teacher. Then I discovered sport psychology which fascinated me. I worked my way into an Honours …
Interviews.:More Articles:.
Action Oriented Travelers Lift Expectations
Fifteen years ago many people were happy to book a relaxing trip to a Pacific Island resort but today they want more action, says travel&co’s Rob Macready. Now, he says, trips away are becoming much more ‘active relaxes’ with travel packages individually tailored to satisfy bucket list aspirations. “Bespoke travel packages offshore are a growing part of our business,” Rob says. “The …
Renowned Freediver Ant Williams lets us into his World of Competitive Freediving
Interview by Dave Moran, Editor. Dave: Ant, tell us a little about your life before freediving. Ant: When I was growing up I loved sport but wasn’t any good at it. Tried surfing but that went nowhere! I started a Physical Education course at Otago University which gave me ambitions to either be a coach or a PE teacher. Then I discovered sport psychology which fascinated me. I worked my way into an Honours …
People and Places.:More Articles:.
Action Oriented Travelers Lift Expectations
Fifteen years ago many people were happy to book a relaxing trip to a Pacific Island resort but today they want more action, says travel&co’s Rob Macready. Now, he says, trips away are becoming much more ‘active relaxes’ with travel packages individually tailored to satisfy bucket list aspirations. “Bespoke travel packages offshore are a growing part of our business,” Rob says. “The …
Dive Destination New Zealand: Mercury Bay – Coromandel
By Lee Czerniak. Images supplied by Dive Zone Whitianga. Whitianga on Mercury Bay is one of the most popular spots on the Coromandel Peninsular. Doubtless, the Mercury Islands (known for their diving and fishing spots) are part of the allure that calls the diver to visit these waters. The Mercury Islands were named by Captain James Cook because they are close to the place where he observed the transit of the …
Photography.:More Articles:.
Sharpening your Images – Advanced Techniques
By Hans Weichselbaum www.digital-image.co.nz In the last issue we had a look at the Unsharp Mask filter. This is the standard technique for image sharpening and you’ll find this filter in every image editing program. If you shoot in JPEG, you normally don’t need to worry about sharpening. If your images look a bit soft, you can dial up the sharpening in your camera. If your photos look over-sharpened, which …
Testing the Waters in Wakatobi
By Wayne Osborn, images by Wayne Osborn unless otherwise credited. When I first read the specs on Canon’s new 50.6 MP EOS 5DS R DSLR, I knew it begged to be taken underwater. What better place to put it to the test than Sulawesi’s famed Wakatobi Dive Resort? Disappointment followed Canon’s marketing hype as the camera was not to be released until June (2015) and Pam and I were off to Wakatobi in April. …
Spearfishing.:More Articles:.
Fiji: In the pursuit of happiness (& dogtooth tuna)
By Clarke Gayford. They call this place ‘the home of happiness’, which is a broad statement, because as we all know, one person’s ‘happiness’ might be another’s idea of ‘hell’. They call this place ‘the home of happiness’, which is a broad statement, because as we all know, one person’s ‘happiness’ might be another’s idea of ‘hell’. And spearfishing is a funny old acquired taste …
‘FISH OF THE DAY’ HAS ARRIVED
By Clarke Gayford. Well, it’s been a long time coming, but we’ve done it! Ten stunning episodes, filmed throughout the Pacific by award-winning cinematographer Mike Bhana and hosted by Clarke Gayford. “Oh not another fishing show”, is what most people’s eyes were telling us, even if their lips were saying something different, as my producer Mike Bhana and I launched into this new venture, …
Technical Diving/Re-breathers.:More Articles:.
New Zealand’s Gas Cylinder Regulations: Hot Air?
By Franz Ombler. Image by Sami Paakkarinen Apparently we can’t use gas mixes with helium, or with oxygen content less than 21% or higher than 40%. Many of the cylinders our EU and US counterparts use in their technical diving can’t be affordably imported into New Zealand and specific cylinder models have limited permitted uses under our parochial, archane regulations, such as for ‘breathing air’, thereby …
Advanced Knowledge Series: Are All Carbon Dioxide Absorbents the same?
By Associate Professor Simon Mitchell, University of Auckland. Introduction and recap This is the fifth in a series of articles appearing in Dive New Zealand with the aim of enhancing knowledge of selected practically important issues in diving physiology and medicine. In the first article we discussed how carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced in the tissues during the utilisation of oxygen. CO2 is eliminated from the …
Wreck Diving.:More Articles:.
Leigh Bishop takes us on a deep-wreck dive to Britannic
It’s amazing – really amazing! Just when you think the magazine has just about published all the stories that a diver could experience in a lifetime, something else pops up and bowls you over! When we published the magazine’s first edition Dec/Jan 1991, the term ‘tech diving’ was not a term divers used. Open circuit scuba diving was just about all there was except for commercial diving. Since that first …
The Million Dollar Dive
By Leigh Bishop. Images by Leigh Bishop, Richard Stevenson and Richie Kohler. For a team of technical divers, modern technology brings with it a new concept of deep exploration. During its centenary year the iconic deep wreck Britannic sees a new breed of human technology, and possibly the single greatest ever wreck dive! The wreck was breathtakingly massive, a replica of her sister ship Titanic, but …