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SCUBA News 57~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCUBA News (ISSN 1476-8011) Issue 57 - January 2005 http://www.scubatravel.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to the first SCUBA News of 2005 - we wish you a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Should you wish to advance into the new year without us, you can cancel your subscription at http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/news.html This is also the address for you to re-subscribe if you change your mind. Contents: - What's new at SCUBA Travel? - Your Letters and the Diving Board - Bookshelf: SCUBA Best Sellers of 2004 - Creature of the Month: Squirrelfish - Diving News from Around the World __________________________________________________________ What's New at SCUBA Travel? =========================== Update from Dive Centres in Thailand We've messages from dive centres in Thailand about how the tsunami has affected them. Their common theme is: don't abandon your holiday. http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/thailand/thaiop.html Great Diving in East Timor Glowing recommendation for the diving in East Timor... "Totally unspoilt diving - couldn't wish for more - sharks, turtles, millions of fish, giant squid, rays, abundance of living coral. Only need to swim out from the shore about 5 metres before you hit the drop off round the island - and this slopes gently to about 40 m, and then straight down to about 2 km! Living coral like I have never seen. Divers paradise." http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/pacific.html#EastTimor Dive Centres in Dubai Find a dive centre in Dubai, UAE, with these new listings. http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/scuba.html#UAE Diving in Sardinia, Italy Dive sites described, dive centres listed and accomodation options given. The Sardinia section of the site has been updated. http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/italy/ New Croatian Diving Centres Listed Diving centres in Croatia are now listed at http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/scuba.html#Croatia Diving in Zanzibar New report of diving in Zanzibar..."Beautiful tropical setting, many different levels of diving, miriad of colours of coral and fish. Also turtles, dolphins, and manta rays." http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/africa/tanzania.html Top 100 Dive Sites Vote for your favourate dives around the world. Is Chickens Rock on the Isle of Man really better than Darwin Arch of the Galapogos? New list now up at http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/topdiveslong.html __________________________________________________________ Your Letters and The Diving Board ================================= If you can help any of our letter writers, e-mail news@scubatravel.co.uk - I am trying to decide where to dive in Africa for the first time and can't decide between Mnemba Island and Mozambique. Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks Julie - I have heard that an old friend of mine, Jamie Conway, was running either a diving or surf company in Thailand. Does anyone know him? If so, do they know if he is ok? Would be grateful for any feedback. Thanks, Leanie x I would like to find out is my instructor, Oat (his nickname)and his wife, Bow and his team members who are from Viking Scuba Ton Sai are safe in the tsunami disaster? I know this is not the right way to find them but I really hope you can let me know their status. Thank you very much! Kok Howe Yuh There are two forums which are dedicated to finding news of missing people which you might try - http://www.p-h-u-k-e-t.com/forum/ and http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/28/email.appeals/ You could also check with embassy officials for guidance. Stephen, Australia - This month at the Diving Board, aquastuff.net wants to let everyone know about their January Sale. http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48 __________________________________________________________ Bookshelf: SCUBA Best Sellers of 2004 ===================================== The ten best selling diving books and DVDs in 2004 were... 1. Dive Atlas of the World: An Illustrated Reference to the Best Sites by Jack Jackson 300 Pages detailing some of the world's best dive sites. 2. The Blue Planet DVD The BBC television series on DVD - action shots of the intriguing behaviour of the underwater world with commentary by David Attenborough. 3. Lonely Planet: Diving and Snorkelling the Red Sea by Jean-Bernard Carillet, Gavin Anderson, Peter Harrison Guide to the dive sites of the Red Sea. 4. Reef Fishes and Corals of the Red Sea by Pete Harrison and Alex Misiewicz A guide to 270 reef fishes and corals found throughout the Red Sea. 5. Red Sea Reef Guide by Helmut Debelius Identification guide to fish, coral and other marine life of the Red Sea. 6. Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkeling Baja California by Walt Peterson Guide to the dive sites of Baja California. 7. Top Dive Sites of the World by Jack Jackson Features around 60 of the world's top diving locations. 8. Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World by Tim Ecott Tales of the characters and episodes in the history of diving: the sponge divers, the second world war saboteurs, the free divers, etc. 9. Collins Pocket Guide: Coral Reef Fishes by Ewald Lieske, Robert Myers A compact, guide to over 2000 species of fish you might see whilst diving on coral reefs. 10. Scuba Diver's Travel Companion by Jeremy Agnew Tells you for what level of diver a dive destination is suitable. __________________________________________________________ Creature of the Month: Squirrelfish =================================== For photos of squirrelfish see http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/squirrelfish2.html http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/squirrelfish.html There are many species of squirrelfish but all are primarily nocturnal. They have large eyes and during the day you'll find them under ledges and in caves, away from the light. You'll see them in warm water throughout the world. Like many nocturnal fish, squirrelfish are red. To us it is easy to spot during the day, but to other fish it blends into its dark crevice or cave. Long red light wavelengths don't penetrate water well, so fish colour vision tends to be tuned to the shorter, blue and ultra-violet end of the spectrum. This means that red and pink fish are inconspicuous. Squirrelfish can communicate with each other by vibrating their swimbladders to make sounds. They often do this in response to disturbance and in spawning encounters. At night squirrelfish feed on invertebrates, zooplankton and small fish near the bottom of the reef. They are members of the subfamily Holocentinae. This includes the Sargocentron, Holocentrus and Neoniphon species. Further Reading: ---------------- Coral Reef Fishes (Collins Pocket Guides) by Ewald Lieske and Robert Myers http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/fishbook.html __________________________________________________________ Diving News From Around the World ================================= If you would like to read the diving news as it happens, without waiting for this newsletter, then grab the SCUBA News feed from http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/newsfeed.html It's free and updates you with the latest diving news via e-mail, your web site or any news feed reader. Teenage Diving Death Unlawful A teenager was killed in April while carrying out repair works that he was not qualified to do at a desalination plant in Fujairah, UAE. The Fujairah Court ruled that his buddy and employer, Paul Aldgate, was responsible for his death. http://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/ Divers accuse scallop dredgers of Damaging key Marine Habitat One of Scotland's most important marine habitats, which is protected by EU law, is being threatened because of growing demand for scallops in restaurants on the continent. The Scottish and British Sub Aqua Clubs (SSAC and BSAC) have submitted official complaints to the EU commissioner for the environment, claiming that rocky reef habitats south of Oban are being damaged by scallop dredging. http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=66002005 13 species at risk in Irish and British seas A report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) shows that 13 out of the 16 species surveyed by its scientists are in decline in the seas surrounding Ireland and Britain. Basking sharks are being literally run-over by ships in busy shipping lanes. The pink sea fan coral is declining and there is also concern about the sunset cup coral. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1442140,00.html Whales can Get Decompression Sickness Sperm whales, like human divers, can get decompression illness when they rise to the surface from ocean depths at a faster than normal rate, according to a study published in Science. The study supports a theory that whales driven to the surface to escape underwater noise pollution, such as the sounds produced by military sonar equipment, may be in severe pain and die due to DCS. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4122119.stm ADVERT:__________________________________________________ LOW COST TRAVEL INSURANCE: World Nomads offers qualified divers insurance which doesn't limit the depth to which you can dive. __________________________________________________:ADVERT Leading Underwater Photographer to Exhibit at The Deep The Deep, a £45.5m Millennium Commission lottery project in Hull (UK), is hosting an exhibition of underwater photography by Linda Pitkin. This exhibition is running from now to April 2005, and will feature a selection of her stunning images of marine animals and scenes from tropical and temperate waters around the world. Until early April all profits from print sales will be donated to The Disasters Emergency Committee - Tsunami Earthquake appeal http://www.lindapitkin.net/ Swordfish heat their eyes for the hunt Swordfish heat up their eyes to improve their tracking of fast-moving prey in deep, cold water, suggests a new study. Researchers already knew that certain large ocean predators keep at least their eyes and brains warmer than the ambient ocean temperature. But this is the first convincing biological explanation for why. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6861 Sharks Detect Magnetic Fields Marine biologists have confirmed sharks can detect changes in magnetic fields. This ability has long been suspected by researchers who have observed the fish migrating huge distances in the ocean along straight lines. Tiger sharks, blue sharks and scalloped hammerhead sharks are all known to swim in straight lines for long periods across hundreds of kilometres of open ocean, and then later orient themselves to seamounts, where geomagnetic anomalies exist. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4096397.stm Hawksbill Sea Turtle in Drastic Decline in Mexico Activists of the World Wildlife Fund called on Mexico and the Caribbean nations to urgently implement plans to reverse what the organisation called a drastic decline in the population of hawksbill sea turtles. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=6962 Environmentalists Say Sound Wave Research Threatens Marine Life Scientists working off the Yucatan Peninsula are preparing to use sound waves to search for information about an asteroid that may have wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. But environmental activists are trying to shut the project down, saying the technology could harm whales, sea turtles and several varieties of fish. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=6931 Fishermen Barred from Spawning Grounds in U.S. Virgin Islands U.S. authorities have barred fishing in areas of the U.S. Virgin Islands where rare species spawn. Fishing is banned in the area from Feb. 1 to April 30 based on two studies last year that found, unless spawning areas are closed seasonally, the fish will not be able to repopulate. Overfishing and destruction of fish habitat, such as coral reefs was to blame for a lack of size and population, the researchers said. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=6950 Thailand seeks volunteer divers to help reefs A Thai environmentalist says up to 200 volunteer divers are needed to help save coral reefs damaged by the tsunami. A preliminary survey shows 20 per cent of the reefs around the Similan Islands, an archipelago with world-class dive sites, have been destroyed. But more than half of the reefs were knocked over during the tsunami, which churned up sand on the ocean floor, removing reef foundations and causing them to fall. If divers manage to move fallen reefs back into an upright position within a month, the coral should survive and keep growing. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1281562.htm Tsunami Clouds Future of Marine Animals When the tsunami struck, land and ocean merged in a most terrifying way. People and uprooted trees were carried out to sea, while stingrays and sharks were left stranded in fields. Scientists and conservationists say the future of coastal towns will be closely intertwined with that of fragile marine ecosystems. If coral reefs and mangroves aren't nursed and protected, they say, many human livelihoods will be hard to revive. Researchers are particularly worried about the backwash of mud and other debris as the tsunami waves receded. Satellite images of regions such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands show that a huge amount of sediment and debris has been washed from the land and back into the sea. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/ Indian Ocean tsunami warning system by mid-2006 A tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean will be set up by mid-2006 under the leadership of the United Nations. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6905 ADVERT:__________________________________________________ Log data from GPS, sonar and other instruments to your database or mapping program with the free Windmill software. For diving, seafloor mapping, salvage, coral reef monitoring, etc. Download your free copy at http://www.windmill.co.uk/gps.html __________________________________________________:ADVERT Indonesia to Replant Mangroves in Tsunami Defense Indonesia will replant huge swathes of mangrove forest along its vulnerable coastline to help provide a buffer against possible future tsunamis. Environmental experts say Southeast Asia's mangroves - many of which have been ripped out to make room for shrimp and fish farms - could have helped slow the tsunami. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=6953 Marine Experts Report Tsunami Damage to Thai Coral Reefs The Thai government says its initial assessment shows overall about five percent of coral reefs have been harmed. The damage is most extensive around South Patong Beach - with 20 percent devastation - and Koh Pai and Rana Bay off Phi Phi Island, which lost almost half the reef. Ukkrit Satatoomin, of the Phuket Marine Biological Center, says the situation is not that bad given the catastrophe. http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-01-12-voa6.cfm Three Thai beaches critically damaged An official survey has found that Kamala, Patong and Hat Yanui beaches in Phuket, Thailand, were critically damaged by the tsunami. Besides these three devastated Thai beaches, three others have been categorised as near-critical: the Sirinart National Park, Ao Bangtao and Ao Chalong. http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=585b0b3765f27296 __________________________________________________________ * Copyright SCUBA Travel - http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/ * Reprinting welcomed with this footer included. We are happy for you to copy and distribute this newsletter, and even use parts of it on your own web site, providing the above copyright notice is included and a link back to our web site is in place. Previous editions of SCUBA News are archived at http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/news.html SUBSCRIBING AND UNSUBSCRIBING Visit http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/news.html and add or remove your e-mail address. CONTACTING THE EDITOR Please send your letters or press releases to: The Editor SCUBA News The Cliff Upper Mayfield DE6 2HR UK ADVERTISING Should you wish to advertise in SCUBA News, please fill in the form at http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/newsad.html PUBLISHER SCUBA Travel Ltd, 5 Loxford Court, Hulme, Manchester, M15 6AF, UK Subscribe To SCUBA NewsOur newsletter, SCUBA News (ISSN 1476-8011), is absolutely free. It is a monthly publication, delivered by e-mail. To receive your copy fill in your details below. We will never pass your e-mail address to any third parties, or send you unsolicited e-mail. You will receive an e-mail confirming your subscription. If you don't receive this you have probably entered your e-mail address incorrectly - revisit this page and re-subscribe. 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