Also check out the complete 480 pages from Fathom magazine. http://fathomoz.wordpress.com
Although similar to the content here there are a few differences. Click pictures to enlarge them.
Tag Archives: Fathom magazine
FATHOM – AUSTRALIA
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- Fathom was a marine diving magazine published by Gareth Powell & Associates in Australia. It is considered to have played an important role in raising international awareness of the status of Australian marine life, especially sharks with underwater photography, and established new standards in terms of quality, content, design and accurate marine journalism at a time when most was being sensationalized in the popular press.
- It was said to be better designed and printed than the leading USA publication, Skin Diver.
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“Fathom magazine was a perfect fit for its time. The 48-page publication first appeared in Sydney December 1970, produced by Gareth Powell, an eccentric, entrepreneurial British publisher who knew, above anything else, how to employ talented people and give them the freedom to work. Fathom quickly came to reflect the new scuba diving and marine environmental awareness inspired by the Save the Barrier Reef campaign, and the crown-of-thorns starfish plagues threatening coral reefs world wide”.
- Gareth Powell has been quoted as saying the title Fathom was one of three suggested by editor, John Harding who had canvassed the idea of publishing a dive magazine to him on three occasions. The design was similar to Surf International which was soon to cease production.
- A major influence on the style of the magazine was the designer, Roy Bisson. In Fathom the freelance contributing photographers and marine journalists were among the best that Australia had produced and included Ron and Valerie Taylor, and John Harding. The art director (an accomplished diver) had full responsibility to choose the photographs used and to decide how they should be displayed. No other magazine company in Australia, at that time, allowed this level of involvement by their creative staff. The only person who was kept well away from the creative process was the publisher, Gareth Powell. He knew printing – and Fathom was to set new standards for the international diving world, attracting attention from many experts in this field, including the aloof Philippe Cousteau who granted an exclusive and rare interview during his Australian visit. The editorial content of the magazine was under the control of John Harding (a photojournalist and underwater film cameraman) and Roy Bisson.
- It was the responsibility of Harding & Bisson to devise stories, write, photograph and sell advertising and assemble all pictures rather than rely on haphazard contributions. Dive shops were initially reluctant to advertise until after issue number six.
- 1971 was the beginning of P.A.D.I scuba schools franchise being available to Australian dive shops.
- In early 1973 the magazine ceased production with issue ten and before completion of a proposed “Annual”. Various reasons contributed to the closure despite a rapidly rising circulation in Australia and USA. A plan to publish Fathom Yearbook much later was actively supported by all former advertisers.
- The magazine was printed in Hong Kong and Singapore to obtain better quality than anything available in Australia.
- Fathomag.wordpress.com now features 480 pages from all ten issues. Copyright applies.
The John Harding Australian Marine Picture Library
“OUR FUTURE – A NEW ADVENTURE”
Marine Photography: 1960 – 2013
fathom (Reg. TM, Australia)
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RE-USE OF CONTENT IN ANY FORM
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NEW! For ALL pages from all ten fathoms go to the WordPress hosted blog
http://fathomag.wordpress.com
CORALITA RENAMED BELL CAY, LIVE ABOARD CHARTER BOAT (Australia)
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We encountered wild Grey Reef sharks galore. They even chewed on the diving platform. It was unique action at the time. Later we would realize that sharks elsewhere eventually settle down and adopt a different behavior.
At locations where no divers have been before you should expect territorial aggressive behavior.
Probably rare today and certainly not at dive resorts where sharks are virtually ‘trained’ and behave.
Film of those original encounters might be a surprise to many today.
Up top: Dr Don Ahern, JM Harding, Roy Bisson, Dr Colin Friendship, Liz Hen.
On the duckboard: John H Harding (with 16mm camera) , shark wrangler Dr Richard Ibara, Allan Murayama from Hawaii.
Valerie and Ron Taylor took this picture from their dinghy nearby.
Their 16mm film from the expedition featured (Taylor’s Innerspace) a search for the rare sea shell, a volute known to be found only here and worth thousands of dollars at the time.
However it was the shark action which proved more entertaining.
Shark wrangler and marine biologist, Richard Ibara used fish baits to attract sharks into the shallows.
In one scene we see where he grabs a live Grey Reef shark by the tail (when the shark had it’s mouth firmly secured to a fish) and hauled the shark onto a reef.
It remained there for a few moments, just long enough for this unusual film sequence to be recorded. Kids seeing it in the cinemas.
Picture from “Australian Seafari” – a family film show in cinema’s which included The Chesterfield Reef Expedition.
The late Alby Ziebell, last owner-captain of Coralita
Hitchhiker was a temporary solution for Alby while a new boat, larger than Coralita was being built especially. The outcome was not good. The builder filed for bankruptcy and everything was lost. A tragedy in many ways.
Alby was an excellent international charter boat skipper and diver. His underwater photography in a short time equaled or surpassed the best.
Years of professional abalone diving in Tasmania gave him an edge in fine tuning and perfecting his business, with the help of wife Irene who ran the office. A skilled diplomat for divers.
A plan to expand diving charter horizons to New Guinea waters was the beginning of the end…..
Coralita sank in Cairns Harbour just days before the first scheduled departure. Nobody was injured.
August 11, 2010 Coralita was purchased as a wreck by Cocky Watkins of Cardwell for the price of one thousand dollars at auction, later temporarily renamed Alita then sold and renamed Bell Cay.
News item today indicates the vessel has come to grief in The Swain Reefs (250 km offshore) with over 20 people aboard. All have been rescued after treading water for some time.
27 February 2011. Bell Cay is said (Ref. Alexander Muller, professional fisherman) to have broken up and washed ashore in the Mackay area of the Queensland coast.
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ALL COPYRIGHT IS HELD BY JOHN H. HARDING