Air Niugini Commences Kuala Lumpur FlightsUnderwater Photo Contests
The 4th annual international underwater photography and video competition series hosted by UnderwaterCompetition.com has kicked off with over US$75,000 of prizes up for grabs.
Held in conjunction with the Our World Underwater in Chicago (20-22 February 2009) and DEEP Indonesia in Jakarta (27-29 March 2009), the two photo contests feature both photo and video categories, read more.. Welcome to MyanmarBeginning of this year, our team was invited to join a trip to Myanmar with Parnunee Yacht. Here is their trip report.
When talking about Myanmar diving, the most common thought might be about sharks. Myanmar has a good reputation about big pelagic for many years. From Whaleshark to schooling Devil rays, they can be seen read more.. Brazilian photographer Marcio Lisa wins 2009 Raja Ampat Tourism Entry Tag ContestA silhouette of a manta ray will be printed on the 2009 Raja Ampat Tourism Entry tag series
San Francisco, Calif., October 1st, 2008 - Conservation International, in cooperation with the Coral Reef Alliance and Wetpixel.com, are pleased to announce the winning photo for the 2009 Raja Ampat entrance tag design contest.
After three weeks of public read more.. U-Boat 4 2, 3 or 4We first noticed U-Boat Worx when we stumbled across their line of personal submarines called C-Questers.
Once again, we find ourselves salivating at the (admittedly remote) prospect of playing with the company’s latest product, the C-Quester 3, which is designed for three people…or apparently, even for four if you only allow small people (We’re not read more.. Help Protect Snapper LedgeSnapper Ledge, a popular dive site off Tavernier in the Florida Keys, is home to some of the most dense and diverse marine life populations in the area. Unfortunately, Snapper Ledge has become a popular destination for spear-fishing.
It is common for recreational divers to see carnage left by spear-fisherman, many of whom shoot animals read more.. Raja Ampat Entrance Tag Finalist
Finalists have been announced for the 2009 Raja Ampat Entrance Tag Design Contest, hosted at Wetpixel.com.
Last year’s winning image, a pygmy seahorse with its tail wrapped around a gorgonian branch, was shot by Alex Mustard, who won a week-long dive trip to Raja Ampat in addition to having his image attached to every diver who read more.. Learn to FreediveThere are many myths about freediving, so let’s start with some examining some basic questions. What exactly is freediving? Why do people do it? And why is it getting more and more popular?
The first part is easy to answer. Freediving is diving with a single breath of air.
The second question is more complex. For some, read more.. Wetpixel Joins LiquidAssets.tv in Turks & Caicos, Sep 20-27, 2008Join Wetpixel’s Shawn Heinrichs and the Liquid Assets team on a chartered adventure to Turks & Caicos this coming September.
The Liquid Assets crew will be filming their new dive television pilots and are offering guests the opportunity to witness how their favorite dive programs are filmed and even be part of the next generation of read more.. Layang Layang Underwater Digital Photo Shootout 2008 ResultsLayang Layang, 27 July 2008 - Congratulations to the winners of the Layang Layang Underwater Digital Photo Shootout 2008!
After six days of friendly competition among 34 competitors from 10 countries, a panel of three internationally acclaimed underwater photographers (Settimio Ciprianni, Stephen Wong and Rod Klein) selected winning images from entries submitted by contest participants.
Each of read more.. MIDE 2008Our friend, Jenny W. Lee from Myth Asia Travel Network has attended the 3rd Malaysia International Dive Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Below is her report;
4th of July 2008 – Malaysia International Dive Exhibition(MIDE) held in Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was entering it’s 3rd year now.
This annual event was officiated read more.. Liquivision X1 - Multi-Gas Trimix ComputerThe X1 Dive Computer from Liquivision Products of Canada is a revolutionary approach to wrist mount dive computer technology. From the Ultra-bright OLED display to the intuitive user interface, Liquivision has redefined the deep diving computer. Out of the box, you can install a third party firmware utilizing the decompression model of your choice.
This computer read more.. 2009 Raja Ampat Entrance Tag Design Contest
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — July 4th, 2008 — Conservation International, The Coral Reef Alliance, and Wetpixel.com have announce the 2009 Raja Ampat Entrance Tag Design Contest.
If you have the perfect photo that captures the excitement and beauty of Raja Ampat diving, enter the 2009 contest for a chance to have your image printed on the read more.. Limited recall of Apeks TX, ATX and XTX 2nd StagesBelow is a recall notice, FiNS has received from Apeks authorized dealer in Thailand “Samui Scuba Pro Co., Ltd.”, for Apeks TX, ATX, and XTX 2nd Stages which purchased before July 2008;
This is limited to those 2nd stages/octopus purchased before July 2008 that have not undergone an authorised annual service.
It has come to our attention read more.. Stranding in Racha YaiPhotos: Racha Seamaster Divers
At around 18:40 on 26 June, more than 30 small cetaceans that appear to be false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) stranded themselves on the beach at the western side of Racha Yai in southern Thailand.
Khun Sing of Racha Seamaster Divers reports that local residents, tourists and staff of local hotels and businesses read more.. A Day on Mabul Island
Scubacam Lembeh Photography Excursion
Scubacam Singapore is organising an informal underwater photography outing at Kasawari Lembeh Resort. Superb accommodation and photography facilities will be offered for all participants.
Special invited guest will be Tony Wu, who will be available for discussions about photo techniques, tips, and advice. David Cheung and Sanah Z of Scubacam will be there to provide technical read more.. The Last FrontierWhen you think of muck diving destinations, Sihanoukville, Cambodia probably doesn’t jump to mind.
But according to an email we received from FiNS readers who recently visited and dived the area, there are many undiscovered reefs and and abundance of marine life just a couple of hours offshore.
During an an 80-minute dive at a site called read more.. Colour from Compact CamerasTony Wu has recently posted a short article about getting colourful shots underwater with a compact camera using the dedicated underwater mode.See his blog for more details.
Big Changes to FiNS Magazine
Recently, the FiNS Team had a rare and happy opportunity. Normally scattered across the globe, we gathered for a few days in Bangkok, Thailand for a recent dive show. Having most of the team in a single location for the first occasion in recent memory gave us time to have some fun, and also to read more.. Help Patrol Misool’s MPAIn 2006, Misool Eco Resort helped to create a Marine Protected Area in Raja Ampat encompassing 200 sq km of sea surrounding the resort. Hook- and line-fishing, dynamite- and cyanide-fishing, long-lining, netting, shark finning, harvesting turtle eggs and other similar activities are prohibited in the MPA.
The good news is that local villages and government support read more.. Missing Divers in Komodo FoundFollowing is a statement we just received from Komodo regarding the missing divers, now found:
Five divers were found alive today more than 40 hours after they were reported missing in Komodo National Park.
The three British nationals, Charlotte Allin, James Manning and locally-based dive-master Kathleen Mitchinson, and an unidentified Swedish woman and Frenchman, were discovered on the read more.. Wetpixel Quarterly Available Now The latest issue of Wetpixel Quarterly has just shipped, with this edition featuring the work of Alex Kirkbride, who undertook a three-year project to photograph the waters of America’s 50 states, plus the winners of the 2008 Our-World Underwater and DEEP Indonesia photo competitions.
In addition, Christopher Bahnsen writes about a colony of up to read more.. Divers Missing in KomodoFive divers from the UK have gone missing in Komodo after a drift dive.
Fears grow for British divers missing in Indonesia
By Emily Dugan
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Rescuers are searching for three British scuba divers believed to have been were swept away by strong currents off a remote Indonesian island two days ago.
The divers, who were thought read more.. FiNS Magazine Issue 7.3We know you’re suffering withdrawal symptoms. It’s been an entire two months since you’ve had your last injection of FiNS. Life’s been uneventful, routine, dreary…altogether just too predictable.
Never fear. Just like Toyota’s vaunted just-in-time manufacturing system, the newest issue of FiNS Magazine is out now…just in time to prevent sanity from settling in.
Speaking of insanity, read more.. Palau Bans Live Reef Fish TradeSam’s Tours in Palau reports that Palau has banned the live reef fish industry, thanks in no small part to the hard work of Sam’s Tours.
In case you’re not aware, the live reef fish you see in tanks in restaurants around Asia come from all over the world, and catching the fish involves highly destructive fishing practices read more.. Shark Fin Mercury WarningLegislators in Taiwan are considering requiring shark fin restaurants to warn consumers that shark fins often contain levels of mercury considered hazardous to human health, and also having the Department of Health print posters to let consumers know that eating shark fins can reduce intelligence.
New warnings sought for shark fin dishes
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Legislators read more.. Missing Taiwanese Divers RescuedIt’s nice to have a happy ending. The missing divers in Taiwan have been rescued. Story via AFP:
TAIPEI (AFP) — Eight Taiwanese scuba divers have been rescued nearly 48 hours after going missing off the island’s south, the coastguard said Monday.
In a remarkable feat of endurance, one of the divers managed to swim ashore and told read more.. Divers Missing in TaiwanEight divers in Taiwan went missing this weekend. A massive search is underway. Story below via Taipei Times.
Search for missing divers continues
By Rich Chang
STAFF REPORTER, WITH AGENCIES
Monday, Apr 28, 2008, Page 1
An extensive search and rescue effort continued yesterday for eight scuba divers missing in waters off Kenting National Park, but none had been found read more.. MacDive MatchmakerRealising that his beloved Suunto D9 and Mac computer were having communication issues, Singapore-based Kiwi Nick Shore created MacDive, a free application to help the two get along.
Nick says: “There wasn’t an application that had the functionality I wanted or the look and feel of a Mac application, and I thought it would be easiest read more.. Make A DateWant an easy way to keep up-to-date with events in the diving world and FiNS news? Check out our events calendar, or even better, subscribe to the calendar using this link:
http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/happyfeet%40finsmagazine.com/public/basic.ics
If you have a Mac and use iCal, just select Calendar, Subscribe from the menu and insert the link. Otherwise, many feed readers will recognise read more.. Bottoms UpDid you know that fish get thirsty too? Actually, they might not feel the same sensation of thirstiness that we do, but bony fish (all fish excluding sharks, rays, etc.) in the sea live in an environment in which the concentration of dissolved salts is much greater than inside their bodies.
What this means is that read more.. Phuket’s New WrecksAuthorities and divers in Phuket are preparing to create what might become one of the most popular wreck-centric dive sites in the region, if not the world.
On 5 May 2008, participating parties will sink four Douglas C-47 Dakota transport planes used during the Vietnam and Korean Wars, as well as six Sikorsky S-58T helicopters. This read more.. Ready, Aim, Fire!Now here’s something that could come in really handy for those of you who are intelligent enough not to want to throw away large amounts of invest money on fancy underwater photography kit, and yet still feel the need to express yourself artistically while submerged, or just want to be the geek-chic-est diver in the read more.. Disappearing HumpheadsRead this feature from The Star in Malaysia to learn more about why endangered humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), also known as Napoleon wrasse, are rapidly disappearing from our reefs.
Tuesday April 8, 2008
Reef fish face extinction as many end up on dinner tables
By TAN CHENG LI
The Asian craving for a particular reef fish is emptying our read more.. Scubacam Appointed Seacam DistributorScubaCam in Singapore has recently been appointed Distributor of Seacam products for the Southeast Asia region. Given that ScubaCam has also been the official Service Center for Seacam products for over two years, Seacam customers in the region can now enjoy a more comprehensive service at the ScubaCam showroom.
More Dead SharksOne thing about monitoring news related to marine issues is that reading about the sheer volume of devastation humanity is wreaking on the oceans can be overwhelming. Most of the time, normal people (meaning just about everyone reading this who’s sitting at home or is camped out in an office or at school) never hear read more.. Delta Airlines Serves Shark FinDelta Airlines apparently served braised shark fin to celebrate its inaugural non-stop flight from Atlanta to Shanghai. It’s a good thing that officials from the airline and the Governor of Georgia were on hand to underscore their commitment to conservation of the environment. With corporate and political leaders of this caliber, the planet’s in perfectly read more.. More From DEEPThis is the second report from DEEP by FiNS Associate Publisher, Khun Polpich Komson.
(For the first report, please click here)
A ferocious guard puppy protecting the show entrance.
Visitors asking about how to get FiNS Magazine via iTunes for free
Marlina and Moel (left and middle) from Hotel Sedona Manado and Euro Divers, with our Creative Director read more.. DEEP Indonesia 2008Our Associate Publisher Khun Polpich Komson reports lives from his first-ever visit to Jakarta, attending the second annual Deep Indonesia dive show. The show started on Friday the 28th and will continue through Sunday. Here’s a quick look around:
Mr. Dharmawan Sutanto, President Director of show organiser PT Exhibition Network Indonesia, giving the opening speech
People wearing read more.. TDEX Coming Up In MayFollow the success of last year with more than 100,000 visitors and 150 exhibitors, the Thailand Travel and Dive Expo will be held again this year from 15 to 18 May at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok.
As always, there will be attractive prizes to be won. Among the highlights announced so far: Scubapro/ read more.. What Mantis Shrimp SeeMost divers in Asia are familiar with mantis shrimp, especially the colourful and comical rainbow mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) regularly spotted on reefs throughout the region.
Already considered amazing for their ability to spear, stab or pulverize prey at blindingly rapid speed (plus a whole host of other unusual talents), some mantis shrimp, or stomatopods as read more.. Shark Fin Ban Being ConsideredWestchester County in the state of New York in the US is considering passing legislation to ban the sale of shark fin soup. As far as we know, this is the first such piece of legislation to be considered anywhere.
While the bulk of shark fin consumption is obviously in Asia, this is a symbolically significant read more.. International RelationsCaptain Craig De Wit of MV Golden Dawn in PNG was nice enough to visit our office in Bangkok recently to say hello. (Actually, he needed help getting a new gadget to work, and no one else cared.)
We were, in turn, nice enough to take him out to dinner, and also to introduce him to read more.. Sea Lion StoryFiNS Associate Editor Tony Wu has just posted a story about his recent trip to swim with adorable Australian sea lions in Western Australia. Read more here.
FiNS Magazine Issue 7.2What’s better than hot, passionate sex on a tropical beach? Reading the latest issue of FiNS of course (not really, but we needed some way to get your attention).
Grab your copy of our second issue of the year to read about Saipan’s angelic eagle rays, the wonders of Komodo, and a Top 10 list of read more.. UFRO IDFollowing our recent post about the unusual frogfish photographed in Ambon Bay by Maluku Divers, we’ve received interesting feedback from a number of people.
Among the suggestions early on was the possibility that the UFRO (Unidentified FROgfish) could be a Antennatus linearis, which was first described in 2001 by Randall and Holcom. This potential ID was read more.. New Book from the FerrarisFiNS Magazine Associate Editors Andrea and Antonella Ferrari have just released a new book titled The Art of Underwater Photography, showcasing first-rate underwater images from the Ferraris and contributors around the world, as well as setting out the Ferrari’s personal philosophy of the art behind creating outstanding marine images. Read Dr. Alex Mustard’s in-depth review of read more.. Reefs RevealedConstable publishing in the United Kingdom has recently released a new hardback book titled Reefs Revealed, featuring images and text by marine biologist Alexander Mustard.
Best known to FiNS Magazine readers for his Talking Megapixels column, Alex has painstakingly put together a beautiful collection of over 150 images spanning the coral reefs of the world, including read more.. Rare, Large 6-Gill SharkCheck out this video of a very large, rare, six-gill shark (most sharks have five gills) taken by researchers in a submarine 1000 metres down in Hawaiian waters. Almost as interesting as the shark is the excited chatter of the researchers.
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