Finally I remembered my blog pass word and can finally update an entry. We recently had the  pleasure to dive with an Australian Diving legend in Rodney Fox and his son Andrew. We had a fantastic crew together which ventured out to Neptune Island on their new Vessel the Princess II. We had 5 Victorians, 1 Candian, 1 American, 1 Italian, and 1 Greek Diver that didn't say much.

Talk about anticipation! If your diving does not give you tingles any more give this ago cause it will bring back all those tingle you once had as an Open ater diver. We had 2 amazing sharks turn up with in 6 hours of arriving at the Neptunes. Callel and Christine as they were identified from previous expeditions. This trip was so worth while we have all booked on agiain for july next year. Here are a few happy snaps.

When taking photos the photographer generally has a story or a memory behind the picture so they can love it just a little bit more than the rest of us. To the person who will look at your pic's for 3 to 4 seconds, they  will either go, oooohh thats nice or nnnnya next photo. One of the best things about getting into photography is that it will make you a more observant diver with a keaner eye and you photos will reflect this........We are all learning when it come to digital photography underwater constantly, even the pro photographer will attest to that, my basic simple tips will hopefully allow a few more ooooohhhss and a lot less oh no what the hell was she/he thinking? A perfect photo op ruined.

Some of my practice shots.

Our first club event hosted by Jim Dyer from Apollo/ Poseidon/Sealife

With the increasing number of Divers wielding digital cameras on the boat we decided to bring in an expert to give us some basic tips for photography.

Taking a photograph whilst underwater in the past was deemed a very exhausting process which required a deep pocket and allot of hale Mary's. Today with the introduction of digital cameras, novice divers can pick  up a camera and snap away to there hearts content and know that they are taking great pictures to show the friends and family. The cost factor is next to nothing! With a camera that has a 256Mg memory card you could potentially snap well over 400 pics. Simply down load onto your PC and there for every one to see is your days diving activity. For those special pics copy them on to disk and take it into a Photoshop and have them print it out at Photoshop quality.

• Some tips for taking better pictures from the night:

Decide on the style of photo your are trying to take eg: Macro ,Wide Angle, an diver shot, before you hit the water Take your time to review each picture after you shoot. Tell a story with your pics rather than shoot willy nilly. Take more than one pic of the same subject Vary your perspective angles When taking a picture of a diver, shoot so the divers eyes tell the story Never chase a creature to get a pic , let them come to you. Peak Performance Buoyancy is a key to avoid back scatter Avoid shooting down on a subject as you lose the 3 dimensional aspect Practice Practice Practice.

After 11 years of diving in a wetsuit I have long been hugging tightly to the notion that I don't need a drysuit to go diving, I have banded on the Team of the wet diver. I have struggled during  dive's which have been consumed with nothing more than thinking gee im cold can't wait for that hot dog after the dive. Together us wet divers have huddled together warming our cold fingers on our hot mugs of soup. To racing  back to the car turn the motor on 10 minutes before leaving the car park in order to start the defrosting process. This year I have climbed the fence and have changed Teams. SORRY GUYS but im taking the best of both worlds, and at the end of the day its all about the diving and not so much about the getting wet or cold side of diving.

Firstly the Wetdivers arguement for staying wet, and also their arguement to retain team members.

THE WET DIVER GREATEST WEAPON: The name calling

One of the greatest weapons the wetdivers have used to date is belittling the dry diver with verbal sprays. I consistantly when going through my own diver training heard how Drysuit diving was for "fairys","soft as butter divers", "fluff divers" and the classic "I like to get wet when I go diving!" Also the discontempt a wetdiver has for a dry diver cannot be contained when they get out of the water freezing, while the dry diver unzips his/her suit climbs out, looks across at the wetdiver with this suck eggs look which  is totally priceless. It is at this moment where the wetdiver is the most vaulnerable. Then the old classic comes whipping back "AT least I get wet when I dive" as if to say gee I really love being mind numbingly cold at this moment is justifyable.

I realise at the end of the day the cost factor involved is what will ultimately determine if you will be dry or a wet diver in the recreational diving scene . But with our buy now worry about it later life style, interest free deals make it very much affordable to own your own drysuit from the begining.

Hey im not saying don't own a wetsuit I own 2 myself and with the water 20 degs today im not about to pull the dry out of storage at this stage. What I am saying is that if it is comfort you are looking for, to increase the enjoyment of your diving then drysuit diving is a must. Cold hyperthermic diving is on the way out guys get with the program.

You wouldn't  wear shorts and thongs to the snow now would you?

We have a number of raging battles when it comes to scuba equipment? I say don't be affraid of change! It won't hurt you it might actually make your diving more enjoyable. We have seen as with the fashion industry that what works 20 years ago may work again in the future. My top 3 equipment battles:
1. Split fin design V's Paddle Fin design
Pros splits: less resistance on legs, less fatigue on legs, use less air with splits, sustain a longer kick cycle, less silting of the dive environment. Fin life is much greater as it can take a battering from rock, coral, sand, silt, shore diving and boat diving. Comes with spring straps for the easiest donning or removal of any fin. Alot more friendly on the knees and ankles.
Cons Splits: Intitial take off power not as great, some instructors believe that in a student chase down situation they would not be quick enough off the mark. SWIM HARDER!!!! I have never had a problem catching any student?
Pros Paddles: Quick take offs, will move you from point A to B. Move well in current or surge conditions.
Cons Paddles: Creates big diver calves? Fatigues legs and use alot more air. Hard on the ankles. Straight leg finning action. Silts out the environment quickly. Divers are prone to cramping.
I one of the greatest air conserving piece of equipment that has been invented in the last 10 years. Splits win hands down.

We all know that selling news papers is what drives news papers to write what they write. What better way to sell a paper but to Glorify the grusome death of a swimmer from shark attack. Even better lets glorify it with a super dupper eye catching head line like " Scuba Dive ends in frenzied stuggle" "Woman killed in Shark attack" written in the Herald Sun on the 8th Jan 2006. Reading through the article by Eddie Burke, I was shocked and amazed when reading through the whole article and finding out that the woman was not scuba diving, but swimming with freinds and her dog in waist deep water.
The scuba diving industry in Victoria has a hard enough time attracting new divers as it is. These papers time and time again put the kiss of death on our scuba industry with these scare monger paper selling head lines. Further more to add insult to our industry they listed the last 9 incidents with sharks: 5 surfers, 2 swimmers, 2 spearfishermen and 1 research marine bioligist who was on scuba diving in the most shark renowned waters in Australia off Glenelg.
Thought must be given when writing about shark attacks, thought to familes who have lost a loved one. Thought to industries that rely on the water for a lively hood, and thought to the general public which seems to thrive on 1 or 2 shark attacks every year, but don't blink an eye when 1.4 people every day die on our Australian roads.
As a scuba diver every time I enter the water I accept the risk that we are entering the sharks domain, I also accept that the likely hood of a shark encounter is very, very small. What I don't accept is the BS that journalist write to sell news papers.In future I will also think hard when I have one of there advertising exc's begging me to advertise in their paper.
When was the last time you saw a positive story about our indusrty in the news? I can't remember either.