FathomOz » 1. Our best adventure – ever!

EASTERN CAROLINE ISLANDS – FREE DIVER

JH — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:20:09 +0000

(Click to enlarge)

Kalio became our guide and friend when we were doing a scientific survey on his island, a true atoll in the Eastern Caroline Islands. (Federated States of Micronesia).

We have not located Kalio on Facebook, not yet, but we are exchanging notes with a younger former resident who remembers our visit – (arriving in a Grumman Hu-16 Albatross seaplane, see Fathom 1).

These pictures show Kalio free diving in front of his island home. Water visibility a constant 200 feet and sea water temperature luke-warm. The closest to a diving paradise I’ve experienced. This was 1969 – dive gear was still traditional Polynesian.

Even so Kalio was reaching a depth close to 20 meters – without fins or snorkel. The spear being used was a very light gauge and about 3.5 meters long with a single flopper – essential length for getting close to the tiny reef fish.

TRUE CORAL ATOLL – ON THE EQUATOR

JH — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:48:41 +0000

Is global warming effecting the sea levels at these Pacific atolls near the equator?

Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi are two true Polynesians atolls that come to mind. (See Fathom magazine #1)

An atoll is believed to be a slowly sinking volcano. Live coral crowing on the rim of the extinct volcano maintains the above water land.

There are no true atolls in Australia’s The Coral Sea.

Lady Musgrave Island has an lagoon which resembles that of an atoll.

Earthquake activity can cause islands to sink or rise. Many factors to consider.

KEN DaVICO IN HAWAII WRITES:

JH — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:52:27 +0000

Have had a rash of calls this past month. Actually had three calls yesterday. Two were up on the North shore which was having 20 foot waves. had to pass on those due to the conditions.

On this one I had my camera so did my digital encircle photo. (above photo).

It was an easy find as it was in the sand.

They got my name and number from the Ultimate Kauai Guide book.

Beach was about 40 minutes drive from home and it was getting late in the afternoon. I had to hurry a bit to get there and have a little hunting time before dark.

When I arrived there were several people going through the sand with their fingers in the area they though they had lost it in.

I tuned the detector and did a search but produced nothing but a few coins.

I questioned Mia again on the location. She repeated what she said earlier.

She said: ‘I picked up a beach towel that was spread out on the sand and wrapped it around my waist to get fresh drinks from the outside bar. Marc, my husband said, Hey, what ya do with my ring that was on the towel’?

Woops!

Well, I did a second pass over the area and no ring. I asked Marc if he was sure he had placed the ring on the towel. Yep, no question, he was sure. I told him he must have lost it in another location as it was not where they thought. He then remembered that the towels were originally about 10 meters closer to the water but the waves were getting close with the rising tide. He had dragged the towels up to higher ground.

I went where the towels had been and found the ring in another 10 minutes.

Experience has taught me to ask a lot of questions. Things are often not where thought to be.

Well, I had to autograph the Guide Book over the paragraph for the couple and a few spectators where it says: Call ‘Iron man Ken’ if something precious is lost.

Footnote: KenDaVico and ‘The lost island of Kapingamarangi’. See Fathom 1 for pictures from this great adventure 40 years ago.

AQUARIUS – 90 minute film by Fathom Editor, John Harding (1970)

JH — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:14:28 +0000

John Harding took two years to compile 90 minutes of 16mm film. "Aquarius" formed the bulk of The Australian Underwater Film Expo 1970. It was a silent film narrated live with recorded instrumental music in the background. Eventually re-cut to form part of Australian Seafari (1986). The original version concluded with a hammerhead shark giving birth underwater.

EASTERN CAROLINE ISLANDS ON EQUATOR (August 1969)

JH — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:27:34 +0000

Above is Page 2

Above isKapingamarangi Page 1

BEWARE OF THE DEADLY SEA WASP (1969)

JH — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:47:10 +0000

BOOK REVIEW – THE GREAT BARRIER REEF By Alan Power (1970)

JH — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:42:03 +0000

AUSTRALIAN SKINDIVING CONVENTION, SOUTH AUSTRALIA (1970)

JH — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:34:57 +0000

Former spear wound on red morwong, Marley NSW

White Water Wanderers - a Bondi spearfishing club. Sydney Sea Hunters a City of Sydney club.

The spear gun used by Ron Taylor in the 1965 world championships was not built by Ron. The above picture was thirty years after he won the main event. Ron found the gun floating in the sea off Yeppoon, Queensland in 1961.

KATHY TROUTT INTERVIEW (1970)

JH — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:31:26 +0000

Kathy Troutt held marine jobs with The Australian Museum, State Fisheries and Marineland at Manly. She also trained dolphins in London and Florida and worked on feature length movies as well as holding a world depth record for women, on air.

Small picture by Richard Swansborough; large picture at Dunk Island during filming for "Age of Consent".

GREAT BARRIER REEFS – (1969, 1991)

JH — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:09:15 +0000

Huge Coral Cod at The Cod Hole (1991)