Alcohol consumption is popular, especially in hot northern Australia.

No breeze to fill the sails of the tall ship off Broome.  Christine Danaher is pictured.

Trailer in Darwin  tourist park advertises the owner’s recent route.

(The late) Ron Harding was not related to the editor of Fathom

Ron Harding was one of the first scuba divers who set a depth record in the 1950′s.  His dive shop at the beach side suburb of Manly was one of the original and best.  His younger brother John worked in the store as did Kevin Deacon and later Steve Duffy.

The fathom team aboard Coralita. Richard Ibara, Roy Bisson, Alan Murayama. Photo by John Harding

FATHOM 6 (Back cover)

Giant Groper photographed by Neville Coleman, Rosemary Island, West Australia November 1971

The Taylor’s and divers Vic Ley and Mal McLeod were based on Heron Island for nine months to do underwater scenes. The above water production was elsewhere – further north at Hayman Island.

Barrier Reef was produced by the same company as Skippy -The Bush Kangaroo.

http://www.classicaustraliantv.com/BarrierReef1.htm

JUMPING SHARKS.

The mystery as to why no researchers knew the shark jumped free of the water when attacking seals was overlooked until recent times. It’s almost as though the shark has only just learned this hunting skill.

No fishing book, encyclopedia or natural history book published the phenomena of white sharks jumping until a few years ago.

Cousin to the white pointer is the blue pointer or mako shark. This species will jump spectacularly when hooked by game fishermen. This aspect was known, but not so for the bulkier white pointer.

Was this wreck the Boston? (Click the link)

Corsair F4U in 33 meters off Oahu, Hawaii in 1970. Has it since been salvaged?