Maldives brings in protected areas

Three protected areas have been introduced in the Maldives, to protect the islands’ whale sharks and other marine life.

Divers find WW2 Soviet sub

A group of Scandinavian divers has found the wreck of a Soviet submarine lost with all hands in 1940.

Third Sydney Shark Attack In Three Weeks

10:54am UK, Sunday March 01, 2009

A shark has savaged a schoolboy's leg while he was surfing with his father at a beach in Sydney.

There have been three shark attacks around Sydney in the past month

It was the third shark attack along the coast of Australia's largest city in a month.

The 15-year-old boy and his father were in the water off Avalon, on Sydney's northern beaches, around dawn when he was attacked.

"The father heard a scream and turned to see his son thrashing about in the water," police said.

"Fortunately, the shark swam away and the boy was helped to shore by his father."

Great Whites are protected

Lifesaving Club spokesman Nick Miller:"It got him around the top of his leg and his calf muscle and the father came... and dragged him in.

The teenager was airlifted to hospital for treatment for leg injuries.

Police said the bites "cut through to the bone" but the boy did not appear to have sustained any fractures.

Witness: His Wetsuit Helped Staunch The Blood

Several beaches were closed after the attack. Water police and lifeguards were searching for the shark, while police hoped to identify its species by the shape of the bite marks.

Many shark species live in the waters off Sydney's beaches, but attacks on humans are still relatively rare.

However, there were two attacks on successive days last month, one on a navy diver in Sydney harbour and another on a surfer at the city's world-famous Bondi beach.

Fishermen say shark numbers are on the rise.

Marine experts claim environmental protection has created a cleaner environment, which is attracting sharks closer to shore as they chase fish.

Many shark species, including the Great White, are protected in Australian waters.

A total of 194 people have been killed in shark attacks in Australia during the past two centuries, records show.

Researchers are quick to point out that more people die from bee stings and lightning strikes.

UW Cave undergoes plastic surgery

 February 16th, 2009

Michael Angelo Gagliardi, -a professional artist and actor from Chicago- has successfully restored a vandalized clay cave 80 feet underwater and 700 feet into the bowels of a spring at Cow Springs, North Florida.

Forrest Wilson, a member of the National Speleogical Society-Cave Diving Section called in the expertise of Gagliardi and after loads of e-mails and lots of material research they set up a team of divers to assist doing the surgery.

 The dive team consisted of Gagliardi, dive shop owner Wayne Kinard of Fort White, Gene Page, a motion picture and television still photographer from Micanopy, and Jill Heinerth, a pioneering technical diver from Karst Productions in High Springs. Cave diver Bill Bowden acted as surface support.

The team used special prepared color matching clay paste to repair the damage to the clay bank, into which the initials "PY" and "DIC" had been carved.

Heinerth called it a historic undertaking. "You can imagine how distasteful it is to see graffiti on a bridge or a building," she said. "These caves are monuments of nature that have taken thousands if not hundreds of thousands of years to grow. Having it restored again is priceless.

Gagliardi said he plans to make a return visit to Cow Springs again this summer."I am glad to have been part of something so positive to the environment," he said.

Shark Attack In Sydney Harbour

3:15pm UK, Wednesday February 11, 2009

A navy diver has fought off a shark attack in Sydney Harbour by punching the animal repeatedly to scare it off.

Experts believe the attack in Sydney probably came from a bull shark

Seaman Clearance Diver Paul Degelder escaped the speedy but vicious attack with severe injuries from his buttocks to his knees, as well as damage to his right hand.

Some reports suggested the 31-year-old's hand had been bitten off.

Speaking about how it happened, a spokesman said: "He saw something big and grey underneath him just before the attack."

And another official told reporters: "It was over very quickly. Our diver punched the shark a couple of times. It was all over in a few seconds."

 

Survivor: Paul Degelder

It is thought to be the first serious attack in the harbour for more than a decade.

No one has died from a shark attack in the area since 1963.

The incident happened in the early hours of the morning near Garden Island Naval Base in Wolloomooloo Bay.

The scuba diver was taking part in a trial of new technologies to protect ports from terrorist attacks.

Shark Attack: How To Avoid One

 February, 2009

Sharks are probably the most feared creatures of the sea, even though they are unlikely to attack. Charles Sinclair shares some tips on avoiding an attack.

Sharks - seen as the terror of the ocean

Sharks are scavengers and human beings are not their natural dish of choice.

There are a few rules divers are taught if they’re in the water with sharks.

Sharks are more likely to attack when you are on the surface – drawn by erratic movement and hopes of a dolphin or seal meal – so keep your time there to a minimum. 

Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk. That is feeding time. 

Stay calm, to try to keep your heartbeat even

Sharks will rarely attack divers when they are at lower depths.

They are curious and highly sensitive and will come and inspect you if you’re under water.

Keep your movements calm and fluid and, if possible, try to stay calm. Sharks work on senses; they can hear your heartbeat – it quickens if you are frightened - and they sense fear.

As they are scavengers, they look for the easy option, hence the need to stay calm.

White-skinned hands gleam in the water and appear like fishes, representing a potentially tasty meal. Don’t make sudden movements and swim with your hands tucked into the sides of your body.

Keep your movements calm and fluid. Sharks work on senses; they can hear your heartbeat – it quickens if you are frightened - and they sense fear.

Divers' tip

The bull shark (as in the latest attack in Australia) rarely bothers divers. But it is one of the most dangerous sharks and is among the most likely to attack surface swimmers.

However, if faced with an attack, try to have the presence of mind hit the shark on the nose, its most sensitive point. Expect it to be upset but it may go away to avoid the pain. 

The other point of attack is a stab in the eye. The weakest point at the front of the shark - and the only part you're likely to be able to damage - is its eyes. 

But, as divers are always told, the best way of avoiding an attack is by limiting the risk.

'Dynamic Scuba Fin' egg of Columbus or just another fashion item?

February 6th, 2009

So you are swimming and you get tired of floating in that horizontal position.

What’s the way out? You could choose to just sink to the bottom and walk upright. The only problem then would be those stupid fins. Jokes apart, every diver would agree that fins – as necessary they may be underwater – make it terribly hard to walk (for instance while climbing boat ladders). The way out is the award-winning Amphibian Dynamic Scuba Fin. Designed by Designcraft and bronze winner at IDEA 2008, the Amphibian Dynamic Scuba Fin obliterates the need to drag stupid fins around. A handy mechanism on each fin is activated with the opposite heel and it readily transforms the fin into a shoe. The blade of the fin goes vertical and comes to rest against the diver’s fin. When someone wades into water, the opposite happens as water resistance opens up the fins in a matter of few kicks.

The Amphibian Dynamic Scuba Fin – a quick and easy way to say goodbye to those horrible duck feet.