Diver finds golden chalice

Blue Water Ventures diver Michael DeMar found the ornate gold chalice with etched scrollwork, when he was looking for remains of the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita about 30 miles west of Key West, Florida...[The Sun]

Fantasea FSD-1100 Underwater Housing

The FSD-1100 from Fantasea Line is a new underwater housing fro the Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS / IXUS 80 IS camera. Depth rated to 60 meters/200 feet, the FSD-1100 housing provides access to all camera functions. The Fantasea FSD-1100 housing has a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, removable flash diffuser and a 46mm threaded lens port. As with all other Fantasea Camera Housings, in the event of accidental water leakage, the camera inside is insured.

[Fantasea Line Press Release]

Shipwreck Yields World's Oldest Salad Dressing

Olive oil infused with fragrant herbs has been identified in an ancient Greek ceramic transport jar known as an amphora, along with another container of what could be the world's oldest retsina-type wine, according to a recent Journal of Archaeological Science paper.

It is the first time DNA has been extracted from shipwrecked artifacts -- the two large jars were recovered from a 2,400-year-old wrecked vessel off the Greek island of Chios. If the second jar indeed contained a retsina-like wine, which is preserved and flavored with a tree resin known as mastic, then the find would push back the known origins of mastic cultivation by 200 years.

"This (study) opens new possibilities for archaeologists -- now perhaps we can figure out what was carried in almost every 'empty' jar we find in land excavations or shipwrecks," researcher Brendan Foley of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution told Discovery News.

"Maybe we can even go back to the amphorae, jars and cooking pots previously excavated and now sitting in museum storerooms around the world and ask new questions of each artifact," he added. ..[Discover Channel]

The world's largest shark may move at a pedestrian pace while cruising the surface, but underwater the whale shark soars like an eagle.

"It is like the way a bird dives, then soars, using its momentum and gravity to conserve as much energy as possible. It flies like a bird — but in this case, a bird as large as a bus!" said researcher Rory Wilson of Swansea University in Wales. Such behavior has never been observed in a fish before, he added.

Wilson worked with Brad Norman of Australia's Murdoch University to track whale sharks in the Indian Ocean, off Ningaloo, on Australia's western coast. The team equipped several whale sharks with an electronic device that records in minute detail — eight times a second — the giant creature's every action, including speed, depth, pitch, roll and heading, along with every beat of the fish's tail. ..[China View]

Archaeology: a job that brings things of the past back to life

Julie Satchell, 33, maritime archaeologist, Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology

“Maritime archaeology is much more than simply looking for shipwrecks. It’s the study of human interaction with the sea and the marine environment.

“The practical work that I and the core team of archaeologists do is seasonal to take advantage of the calmer sea during the summer months. Marine fieldwork involves getting out on the dive boat to catch the tide. The basic archaeological techniques that you use underwater are the same as those on land, however. The time you can spend on the seabed is limited so it is good to build up as much terrestrial fieldwork experience as possible.

“Maritime archaeology is quite specialised. I did my undergraduate degree in archaeology at the University of Southampton, where they specialise in maritime archaeology, and I took part in underwater projects, helping out with underwater surveying, recording and excavation. I followed this with a masters in maritime archaeology and I’m also a qualified professional diver, which takes a lot of training...[Times Online]

Divers eyeing underwater historical trail

Scuba divers and historic preservation officials on Saipan are considering a plan to establish an underwater historical trail in the island's lagoon, a move that could bolster the local tourism market.

The lagoon on Saipan's western coast is an underwater graveyard of World War II relics, many from the battle waged for control of the island. Tanks, pontoon barges, the remains of a Japanese anti-submarine boat and even an aircraft lie on the seafloor and in the surrounding waters, according to those involved in the project.

Underwater archaeologists Jason Burns and Michael Krivor earlier this year catalogued a host of this war era wreckage in a survey, employing specialized sonar and magnetic detection equipment. A draft report on those findings will arrive at the Commonwealth's Historic Preservation Office in the coming weeks, said director Roy Sablan.

Establishing an underwater trail for divers is “the next move” Sablan said, noting the report will help guide that effort. “It will be a good opportunity for tourists,” he said.

The trail could serve as a major draw for diving enthusiasts, who would follow local tour operators from wreck to wreck...[Saipan Tribune]

Adventure Lovers Go to New Extremes to Wed

"To get married underwater, you have to really love the sport," said Karolin Troubetzkoy of Anse Chastanet Resort on St. Lucia. The 600-acre Virgin Islands estate hosts traditional destination weddings, as well as ceremonies near waterfalls, on mountains or amid historical ruins -- as well as underwater.

And the couples Troubetzkoy has helped get married below the surface of the Caribbean have all been young scuba diving enthusiasts.

The tricky part is getting the registrar to the site of the ceremony. "The registrars here are all a little more mature," she said carefully, adding that Anse Chastanet has put in a request to the government to employ a more "fit" registrar to accommodate the resort's more daring wedding itineraries.

For that reason, scuba brides and grooms are legally married either on the boat deck or the beach in the presence of the registrar, then slap on their oxygen tanks and dive masks and repeat the ceremony under the sea -- with the aid of slates, or plastic boards where they can write dialogue in waterproof pen.
..[ABCNews.com]

Basking shark discovery from tagging project

The Save Our Seas Foundation 'Project Basking Shark' has revealed an exciting new discovery: basking sharks are transatlantic wanderers and deep-ocean divers.

At this time of year, each year, a dark triangular fin appears off the British Isles. Slicing through the waters off Cornwall, Isle of Man, Southern Ireland and Scotland's Western Isles. It stirs more than the water it swims through, as a rippling wave of fin-phobia takes hold of the British public, ensued by many hours of speculation over what shark lies beneath. That fin, between one and two metres long, belongs to the world's second largest fish, a shark with a body that grows up to 10 metres and a mouth almost as wide as a piano, the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus.

Little is known about this gentle giant, whose humble diet consists of the microscopic organism plankton, and until now it was thought in Europe to migrate north in the spring to England and up to Scotland, before returning south in the autumn...[Telegraph.co.uk]

Mysteries of Ireland's underwater world explored

AN astonishing 220 million acres of Irish national territory is still not mapped fully. And the reason? It is all under water.

Now an ambitious Irish project has become the biggest civilian marine mapping programme in the world. It aims to map the seabed and pinpoint underwater resources.

The INFOMAR (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland's Marine Resource) programme is a joint venture between the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Marine Institute to map Ireland's "most productive and commercially valuable inshore waters," according to the Marine Institute.

It covers some 125,000 sq kms of underwater territory and so far has conducted detailed surveys in Bantry, Dunmanus, Galway, Sligo and Donegal Bays as well as the priority area off the south west coast.

"INFOMAR is exploring and mapping the seafloor using high-resolution multibeam sonar, measuring gravity and magnetic variation and recovering 'grab' samples for biological, chemical and geological analysis," a spokesman said.

A new website, www.infomar.ie, details the survey work and and will help navigation at sea, fisheries management and seabed resource management, according to Sean Power, Minister of State at the Dept of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources...[Herald.ie]

Secret Life of the World's Biggest Fish Revealed

The strange bounding underwater "flight" of the mightiest fish in the oceans has been revealed for the first time through a remarkable scientific collaboration.

This secret life of the whale shark, the world's biggest fish, was recently disclosed in a scientific world-first by two Laureates of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, Brad Norman, of Australia's Murdoch University, and Professor Rory Wilson, of Swansea University, in the United Kingdom.

In the Indian Ocean, off Ningaloo, on Australia's western coast, the team have equipped several whale sharks with a unique electronic device known as a "daily diary" that records in minute detail (eight times a second) the giant creatures' every action — speed, depth, pitch, roll and heading, as well as every beat of the fish's tail...[Seoul Times]

Fins allow fish to out-swim Olympians

Certain small reef fish use wing-like fins to ‘fly’ underwater, allowing them to cruise at speeds equivalent to tuna, a team of Australian and US researchers has found. The design of the fins has drawn the attention of underwater submersible designers and the US Office of Naval Research.

The wing-like fins, discovered by researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, allow these fish to handle strong water currents with ease. And the research team has also found that if these specialised fish are lost to overfishing, reefs worldwide would suffer.

“Some species of parrotfish, wrasse and surgeonfish have developed wing-like fins which they move in a flapping motion, just like a bird,” says Dr Chris Fulton, a lecturer in the School of Botany and Zoology at The Australian National University. “This allows them to generate high swimming speeds with relatively little energy so they can move easily around their turbulent, wave-swept habitats...[ScienceAlert.com]

Low helicopter flight saves severely injured scuba diving accident victim

A mercy helicopter crew had to make a low-level dash 188 miles across Scotland - to try to save the life of a stricken diver.

The Royal Navy chopper had to stay at under 300 feet so that the casualty - a woman suffering from severe bends - was not affected by the change in air pressure.

She was left paralysed when strong currents threw her up to the surface too quickly. She was being treated by doctors last night at the National Hyperbaric Centre in Aberdeen and is believed to be seriously ill.

The woman, who has not yet been named, had been diving in the Firth of Clyde at a depth of around 130 feet on Sunday...[CDNN]

Stuck topside? ....Get under with your XBox 360...

Embark on a journey the whole family can enjoy in Sea Life Safari™! Make a splash as an underwater photographer tasked with capturing the most incredible pictures of wild sea animals. Entice your subjects into playful poses, provoke photo-worthy reactions, and reel in those picture-perfect scores!...[XBox.com]

Dancing with the whale sharks

This has got to be one of the strangest scuba dives of my life: 100 feet under water in the Gladden Split Marine Reserve, arms locked with four complete strangers in a bizarre, bubble-blowing, ring-around-the-rosy dance. And -- guess what? -- we are doing this solely for the purpose of attracting sharks.

To non-divers, this must sound like a drug-induced mass trance. But nobody's taking anything stronger than orange soda; alcohol and drugs are strictly forbidden on our dive boat. We are here -- nearly 30 miles offshore of southern Belize -- hoping to interact with whale sharks.

Gladden Split, a point where the north-south-running coral reef turns east-west, is one of the few places where the world's largest fish can be predicted to show up. From March through June, from a few days before the full moon to a few days afterward, the huge, brown sharks with white spots are drawn in by the spawning of cubera, mutton and dog snapper. The whale sharks are not interested in eating the fish; they are filter-feeders that devour the clouds of eggs and sperm that sometimes are so dense as to reduce visibility to zero...[MiamiHerald.com]

Old Subway Cars Earn New Life As Artificial Reef

New York City Transit is sending a fleet of old subway cars to Atlantic seaboard states, where they will be dumped into the ocean to help form artificial reefs.

Marine officials hope the reefs will attract fish, which could help the local fishing industry.

The cars were stripped and loaded onto barges, as workers prepared them for their dive.

"The subway cars present an ideal material because of their construction, their size and the fact that when we take out all the doors and windows, it allows the water to pass through and it provides a lot of good hiding places for marine life," said transit official Mike Zacchea. A similar past program put more than 1,000 cars into the water from 2001 to 2003...[NY1.com]

Greek Archeologists to Study Iran's Underwater Sites

Iranian and Greek archeologists are slated to carry out nautical research to study ancient underwater sites, vessels and shipwrecks.

"A team of Greek archaeologists will arrive in Iran to share their experiences in finding, studying and registering historical evidences with Iranian experts," said director of Iran's Archaeological Research Center, Hassan Fazeli Nashli , press tv reported.

"The team will arrive in September 2008 following the agreement reached between the two countries in 2001," he added.

The archeologists will study a shipwreck found by Daryakav Company workers while fishing in the Persian Gulf...[Fars News Agency]

Sunken British Warship From American Revolution Found in Lake Ontario

A 22-gun British warship that sank during the American Revolution and has long been regarded as one of the "Holy Grail" shipwrecks in the Great Lakes has been discovered at the bottom of Lake Ontario, astonishingly well-preserved in the cold, deep water, explorers announced Friday.

Shipwreck enthusiasts Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville used side-scanning sonar and an unmanned submersible to locate the HMS Ontario, which was lost with barely a trace and as many as 130 people aboard during a gale in 1780.

The 80-foot sloop of war is the oldest shipwreck and the only fully intact British warship ever found in the Great Lakes, Scoville and Kennard said.

"To have a Revolutionary War vessel that's practically intact is unbelievable. It's an archaeological miracle," said Canadian author Arthur Britton Smith, who chronicled the history of the HMS Ontario in a 1997 book, "The Legend of the Lake."...[Foxnews]

Eight-day Undersea Mission Begins Experiment To Improve Coral Reef Restoration

Scientists have begun an eight-day mission, in which they are living and working at 60 feet below the sea surface, to determine why some species of coral colonies survive transplanting after a disturbance, such as a storm, while other colonies die. Coral reefs worldwide are suffering from the combined effects of hurricanes, global warming, and increased boat traffic and pollution.

As a result, their restoration has become a priority among those who are concerned. Using as a home base the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Aquarius--an underwater facility for science and diving located in Key Largo, Florida--a team of "aquanauts" is working to protect coral reefs from this barrage of threats by investigating ways to improve their restoration.

"It's like living on the space station, except that it's underwater," said Iliana Baums, an assistant professor of biology at Penn State and a collaborator on the project. "The job is dangerous because, once the aquanauts descend, their tissues become saturated with nitrogen. If they were to return to the surface quickly, they would get the bends--an often deadly illness in which tiny bubbles form inside the body. As a result, the divers at the end of their mission must spend an entire day depressurizing by making their way to the surface slowly."...[Science Daily]

U.S. Soldiers deployed in Iraq taking scuba lessons

There are not many similarities between a hot dry war zone in the desert and the peace and tranquility of scuba diving. But a local retired soldier is helping troops make that connection every day, and is making sure soldiers have something to look forward to when they come home It’s been said that there’s nothing more peaceful than what lies below the water’s surface. But members of the Indiana National Guard Cavalry Division, based out of New Albany, find themselves spending their days baking in the desert sun and dodging enemy fire.

Crowley opened a new business in New Albany called “Diving with Chuck” this spring. Among his most loyal and dedicated diving students are those studying online, thousands of miles away in Iraq. Every week, Crowley sends new study materials, including books, magazines and DVDs. Then the soldiers discuss diving, through instant messaging.

Crowley has already taken about half-dozen men from his former unit on diving trips, between deployments and when they’re home on leave. A diving trip to Belize is being planned for when everyone makes it home next year...[WHAS11.com]

Possibly a new shark species found

A WOODBURY Salterton shark spotter has returned from trip-of-a-lifetime and helped uncover what is thought to be a new species of shark, writes Becca Gliddon.

Tony Bennett, 46, has spent two weeks in Kuwait with the Shark Conservation Society (SCS) on a ground-breaking expedition to identify the number of shark species in the Kuwaiti and Gulf seas.

Mr Bennett teamed up with shark conservationist Richard Peirce gathering valuable data which is hoped to become the basis of a much larger study in the future.

Keen scuba diver Mr Bennett, who has been a member of the society for several years, said: "Fifteen shark and 12 ray species were confirmed and recorded, and it is possible that a new species has been identified...[Exmouth Herald]

Underwater Volcano Eruption Caught on Camera

More than 1,800 feet beneath the Pacific Ocean, the eruptions of an undersea volcano have revealed themselves on film, including the ejection of glowing red lava and the sounds of exploding gases.

"It's the first place where we've been able to observe an active volcanic eruption underwater," said Bill Chadwick of the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, who led the group that observed the volcano with a remotely operated vehicle.

"Even though we think about 75 percent of the world's volcanic activity happens underwater in the ocean basins, it's a lot harder to see and detect."

The team identified the site after scanning the water in the region with an instrument that detects hydrothermal plumes -- water columns that bear the signature of volcanic activity below...[Discovery.com]

"Missing" - filmed off Yonaguni Island

A man with plans to propose to his girlfriend hides an engagement ring in the ancient underwater ruins off Japan’s Yonaguni Island. However, the romantic underwater proposal soon goes horribly wrong when a freak accident befalls him...[Official Movie Site]


Movie Trailer

Da Vinci's diving aparatus...

Da Vinci's fascination with the sea spurred many designs for aquatic exploration. His diving suit was made of leather, connected to a snorkel made of cane and a bell that floated at the surface. Proving the artist was also practical, the suit included a pouch the diver could urinate in... [LiveScience.com]

What does your dive hood say about you?

A hood for every mood! Brighten up your diving wardrobe with one of Scapa Scuba's novelty hoods! ...[Product Page]

Ocean Treasures Collection Bottom Time Aquarium

The Creative Design Group combines innovative designs, optimal functionality and artistic finishes with a relentless pursuit for perfection in each creation. Unsurpassed quality like no other aquarium on the market - each Ocean Treasure aquarium contains: Cast, seamless acrylic cylindrical aquarium offering 360ø unobstructed crystal clear viewing, making your aquarium the ultimate window to the sea.A distinctly unique, hand-painted decorative top and bottom surround with exceptional finishes, creating the perfect accessory for any interior....[TerrificPets.com]

Divers seeking sharks, shipwrecks delight in Graveyard of Atlantic

Six and a half decades after she went down for the second and final time, the W.E. Hutton doesn’t look much like a shipwreck. More like rusty industrial debris strewn about a junkyard, haunted by sharks instead of dogs.

The tanker came to rest in pieces off North Carolina’s Crystal Coast when she crossed paths with a German U-boat on March 18, 1942.

But even then she hadn’t found her final resting place; a year later another U.S. ship, the Suloide, sank after crashing into her wreckage, making the Hutton a “two-fer” for the Nazis.

Then the U.S. Navy took control, demolishing the Hutton’s frame and tugging it to where she would pose no more navigational hazard. Chalk her up as another marker in the so-called Graveyard of the Atlantic.

But the Navy never guessed that someday the Hutton and many other sunken vessels off North Carolina would become some of America’s most exciting scuba-diving destinations...[BostonHerald.com]

Acclimation to Thermal Stress in Reef-Building Corals

What was done
The authors collected branches of the reef-building coral Acropora aspera -- which contains the dinoflagellate symbiont Symbiodinium (clade C3) -- from three large colonies on the reef flat adjacent to the Heron Island Research Station at the southern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Multiple upward-growing branch tips were placed on racks immersed in running seawater within four 750-liter tanks that were maintained at the mean local ambient temperature (27°C) and exposed to natural reef-flat summer daily light levels. Then, two weeks prior to a simulated bleaching event -- where water temperature was raised to a value of 34°C for a period of six days -- they boosted the water temperature in one of the tanks to 31°C for 48 hours, while in another tank they boosted it to 31°C for 48 hours one week before the simulated bleaching event. In the third tank they had no pre-heating treatment, while in the fourth tank they had no pre-heating nor any simulated bleaching event. At different points throughout the study, they measured photosystem II efficiency, xanthophyll and chlorophyll a concentrations, and Symbiodinium densities.
What was learned...[CO2 Science]

Wrecks to rays: the diving's a real treasure

Warm waters of brilliant clarity allow divers to explore the underwater world with ease, taking in coral gardens, magnificent drop-offs, ledges and marine life that ranges from colourful clownfish to sharks, all manner of light game fish and an enormous range of reef fish.

Turtles, manta and eagle rays are common sights, while occasionally a spectacular banded sea snake will effortlessly glide through the coral floor.

The Solomons is the third-largest archipelago in the South Pacific, comprising almost 1000 islands, ranging from land masses with rugged mountains and virgin forests to low-lying coral atolls, scattered in a double chain covering 1.35 million sqkm of sea extending south-east from Papua New Guinea.

During a recent journey to assess whether he should recommend the Solomons to clients, Steve Selbach of Elite Dive Academy at Port Noarlunga in Adelaide took an extraordinary series of underwater photographs.

His verdict on the diving was blunt: "It's mind-blowing," he said. "The variation and diversity makes it fabulous for recreational and technical divers; the water is very clear and it is warm." ...[Adelaide Now]

Amazing images from National Geographic

Photographer David Doubilet introduces the glamour slugs of the sea.

MVA eyes sinking ship off Lau Lau Bay

Divers on Saipan and the island's tourism office are in the early stages of a plan to sink a ship off Lau Lau Bay to create a new site for SCUBA enthusiasts.

The plan to sink the Charito, a 97-foot vessel that washed ashore on Saipan almost 10 years ago, could provide an added attraction to the already popular dive site, according to Perry Tenorio, managing director of the Marianas Visitor Authority. Several key details, however, including the cost of the venture, still have to be resolved, he said.

Sinking the Charito would create a gathering point for aquatic life and could later help create new coral, according to local diver Douglas Brennan. Ultimately, the plan could bolster the island's SCUBA tourism sector, he said...[Saipan Tribune]

Basking sharks join wreck divers

A group diving a wreck off the coast of south Devon got more than they bargained for when they were joined by a group of basking sharks.

The group was diving the wreck of the Persier off Bigbury when three sharks - two 6m (19.6ft)long and one 10m (32ft) long - came to feed on Sunday morning.

The dive boat skipper Simon "Tiny" Ford said it was the first time he had seen basking sharks for four years.

"It was like they were coming to play with us," he said.

Mr Ford said they spent about an hour feeding and playing close to the dive boat. ..[BBC News]

Jean-Michel Cousteau's "Squid Spawning"

California Squid Fishery Uses JW Fishers Underwater Camera

JW Fishers' (East Taunton, Massachusetts) DV-1 underwater camera is being used to quantify the number of eggs being produced by California squid fisheries. This drop video system has a high- resolution camera mounted on a 250-foot depth-rated housing equipped with two powerful 100-watt tungsten halogen lights. The DV-1 is lowered close to the bottom and observers can see the size and distribution of the gelatinous egg beds far below. This provides researchers with hard data on the health and sustainability of the squid population, said the company.

"The DV-1 has been very useful in squid egg research and for a variety of other projects," said Ray Michalski of the Department of Fish and Game. "I have also been using the camera to monitor and test hoop nets that are permitted to catch lobster. I even fabricated an attachment that permits use of a grab to take bottom samples. The system really works well for us."...[redOrbit]

Retired warship to be sunk as artificial reef for divers

If you sink it, divers will come.
The Artificial Reef Society of B.C. says it plans to stimulate the province's lukewarm diving industry by sinking a retired warship near Vancouver next year.

"Divers like novelty and a ship wreck is about the most fun a sport diver can have," said Howie Robins, president of the Artificial Reef Society of B.C. "This will be one of the best diving attractions on the coast. "Created in 1991, the reef society uses retired ships and airplanes to create artificial ocean reefs that divers can explore. So far the group has sunk six ships and a Boeing 737, largely off the Vancouver Island coast.

Last year, the reef society purchased the former HMCS Annapolis from the federal government for more than $750,000. The Annapolis is a retired destroyer escort currently stationed at Colwood naval docks. The ship contains 40 per cent more explorable space than any previous sunk vessel, Robins said.

"It's a large ship with lots of room to explore," he said. "It's perfect for divers."..[Times Colonist]

Missing European divers found alive on Indonesian island

Five Europeans who went missing Thursday while scuba diving off eastern Indonesia were found alive on a remote island Saturday, police said. The divers — three from Britain, one from France and one from Sweden — were rescued following a search of the area where they were last seen plunging into the water from their wooden boat, according to a local police chief.

He said the five had drifted more than 12 hours before arriving at Rinca island, about 30 kilometres from the dive site.

The divers said on Friday, they scared away a Komodo dragon, the world's largest lizard, by pelting it with rocks...[CBCNews]

Work to begin on largest man-made reef, expected to become a nursery for biological diversity

For the first time anywhere, scientists say they've designed an artificial reef north of San Diego County that should be able to sustain itself for decades.

The fruit of their research will start Monday, when crews will begin building the 150-acre Wheeler North Artificial Kelp Reef about half a mile off the coast of San Clemente. The project, meant to compensate for environmental damage caused by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, will feature the largest-ever array of engineered reef structures.

Up to 125,000 tons of quarry rock will be placed across the ocean floor in irregular polygons that, on an engineer's blueprint, look like unjoined puzzle pieces. These shallow rock piles will serve as anchors for giant kelp, the ocean's fastest-growing algae that can reach 120 feet high...[SignOnSanDiego.com]

Baume & Mercier Riviera Diver Watches

Baume & Mercier has enriched its sporty Riviera watch collection with two new models, both of which are equipped with unidirectional rotating bezels in the characteristic 12-sided design. Both of these Baume & Mercier timepieces are well suited for diving and other water-related sports, thanks to their water resistance rating of 200 meters.

The Riviera XXL Chronograph Diver watch features a polished 43mm stainless steel case, a black dial with luminous Roman figures, and a synthetic strap with contrasting stitching. The movement is an Valjoux 7750 caliber, whose reliability and precise performance makes it an ideal engine for this sporty design; the caliber offers a 12-hour and 30-minute counter, as well as subsidiary seconds and a date display. Power reserve of the mainspring is 48 hours.

The Riviera XL Diver watch features a 40mm stainless steel case, and a matching polished stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp. A blue aluminum insert on the rotating bezel hints at the sea-going aspirations of this model. An ETA 2824 self-winding movement with sweep seconds and a rapid-adjust date feature ticks beneath the screw-down caseback...[ViaLuxe]

Sleep with the fishes...

Imagine sleeping under the surface of the water, with exotic fish peering through the windows of your room. It may sound fantastical but you can actually do that at several underwater properties around the world, from $250/night — from a sub-aquatic station in Florida to a cozy inn under the surface of a Swedish lake. You can also book a stay at a five-star resort in the Maldives, which features an underwater spa. Or book a suite at one of two luxury underwater properties currently in the works and slated to open next year, one in Fiji and another in Dubai...[MSNBC.com]

Novice divers beware: the beauty of Komodo Island hides a deadly current

Five divers, including three Britons, have gone missing while exploring the Nusa Tenggara archipelago off the coast of Indonesia

The seas around Indonesia’s Nusa Tenggara archipelago are among the most unpredictable and dangerous in the tropics.

This is the area where the Indian and Pacific Oceans meet, where cold water wells up from the abyss, creating a mosaic of tidal races and whirlpools. There is little boat traffic, save for local subsistence fishermen and the occasional ferry. For a lost diver drifting at the surface, it is a vast and hostile environment.

Divers visit these islands because all that roiling water brings nutrients that power one of the world’s richest eco-systems. Komodo Island – famous for the endemic giant lizards known as Komodo dragons – sits at the heart of the archipelago, and has some of the best dives in South East Asia...[TimesOnline]

School of Robofish Provides Basis for Teams of Underwater Robots

Most ocean robots have to talk to scientists or satellites to share information. A school of robotic fish developed at the University of Washington communicate directly, allowing them to work cooperatively without ever coming to the surface. In the world of underwater robots, this is a team of pioneers. While most ocean robots require periodic communication with scientist or satellite intermediaries to share information, these can work cooperatively communicating only with each other.

Over the past five years Kristi Morgansen, a University of Washington assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics, has built three Robofish that communicate with one another underwater. Recently at the International Federation of Automatic Control's Workshop on Navigation, Guidance and Control of Underwater Vehicles she presented results showing that the robots had successfully completed their first major test. The robots were programmed to either all swim in one direction or all swim in different directions, basic tasks that can provide the building blocks for coordinated group movement. This success in indoor test tanks, she said, will eventually provide the basis for ocean-going systems to better explore remote ocean environments...[NewsWise}

Subway cars hit bottom on Atlantic City reef

On April 3, 2008, 44 decommissioned stainless steel subway cars were deployed on the Atlantic City Reef site as part of the Artificial Reef Program. The AC reef is located 8.8 nautical miles offshore of the Absecon Inlet, has a depth range of 50 -90 feet and is four square miles in size. Also located on the AC reef are Redbird subway cars, concrete, reef balls, telecommunication cables, tanks, tires and various vessels all of which total just under 65,000 cubic yards of reef material...[SportFishingMag.com]

Log cabin wreck dive?

The historic Pioneer Homestead log cabin at Shadow Rock Park has been underwater for more than two months, but divers have determined, so far, damage is minimal.

Scuba divers Mark and Amanda George searched the murky water near the cabin to inspect flood damage. Mark George’s assessment of the cabin was encouraging to Forsyth City Supervisor Chris Robertson, who plans to restore the log cabin when the water recedes.

“It’s been under several floods,” Robertson said. “Flooded tree trunks will survive under water for a long time without oxygen. We’ll know after the water goes down about how much, if any, damage the cabin has had.”

George said there was a bit of separation showing between the wall and the fireplace, but the remainder of the wood was in good condition...[Branson Daily News}

Sunken Texas Clipper Now An Artificial Reef

If you’re looking for that unique summer trip, it might be hard to beat one that rests on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico . Divers now have the opportunity to explore one of Texas ’ most unusual attractions – an artificial reef that once served as a training ship for almost 30 years for cadets at Texas A&M University at Galveston .

The Texas Clipper , a 473-foot, 7,000-ton ship, was purposely sunk last Nov. 17 in the Gulf and today is home to a variety of fish and marine life as well as a frequent destination for scuba divers curious to go down 134 feet and see it. She rests about 17 miles off the coast of South Padre Island and is doing exactly what the folks at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department hoped the sunken ship would do, says Kevin Buch, diving safety officer at Texas A&M-Galveston who has visited the reef several times...[Media Newswire]

"...blood that ran down his arm. And then he swam on."

Miles off shore and surrounded by a darkness that swallowed him whole in the breaking surf, Patrick Scartozzi fought exhaustion, bitter cold and the urge to peek at his watch.

Back home, his wife lay awake in bed listening to the birds and frogs outside as she waited for dawn and feared facing their children once more.

"I knew I was alive and floating, and I knew they didn't know," Scartozzi said Tuesday, four days after he disappeared off the St. Lucie Inlet during a commercial fishing dive. "I would have rather been in my position than to have been in their position, not knowing if I was stuck under a rock, dead."

The 43-year-old Palm City resident and Fort Lauderdale firefighter spent 22 hours in the ocean, steadily kicking toward land with a bleeding, shattered hand before a Coast Guard helicopter found him almost a mile off shore Saturday. A licensed commercial diver, Scartozzi became separated from his boat during a trip to spear snapper and grouper...[TCPalm.com]

Underwater chess at Sea Life

An exhibition of underwater chess was held in the Ocean Tank at the Sea Life Aquarium in Benalmadena, as a showcase to introduce the first edition of the Puerto Marina Chess Festival. Surprisingly, the players’ concentration did not seem to be affected even though there were two-metre sharks swimming around above their heads.

The competition itself, which was sponsored by Benalmadena Port, the Sports Department of the town hall and the Malaga Chess Delegation, was organised by the Chatrang Sports Club and took place at the Hotel Riu.

Under-8, under-10 and under-14 matches took place in the morning and afternoon competitions were open to all age groups.

The aim is to promote both Benalmadena Port and what is known as the ‘noble art of 64 squares’ especially amongst local youths...[EuroWeeklyNews.com]

Fujifilm goes underwater

Fujifilm is producing customised protective cases for the FinePix F50fd (pictured above), F100fd, and Z100fd. The covers consist of a transparent polycarbonate, FL glass and brass material. Fujifilm promises excellent construction and an absolutely waterproof case up to depths of 40 metres. Of course, the cases are not only recommendable underwater uses: they are very helpful in all extreme situations, from sand to the ski slopes. The case doesn’t only protect from water and dirt in these instances, it also offers increased impact protection.

All of the camera’s functions can be accessed without any restrictions while the camera is inside the plastic cover. The pricing system is simple as well. All three cases are going for the same recommended price of around £160.

Every shark counts in underwater census

This weekend, red-blooded Aussie divers will be out in force to check their numbers in the nation's second dedicated shark-counting weekend as part of World Ocean Day, and to check that there are still plenty of jaws to go round.

So far, according to the Great Australian Shark Count, so good.

The count - which is a finalist in this year's United Nations Association of Australia excellence in marine and coastal management award - has logged more than 5000 shark sightings to date in 2008.

Divers and fishermen have reported sightings of 14 great whites, 77 tigers, and more than 440 whalers.

They also logged 837 sightings of endangered grey nurse sharks, which has encouraged environmentalists concerned that their numbers may have dwindled to as low as 300 to 500 in New South Wales...[The New Zealand Herald]

Safe diving a new focus for ex-military member

What does a person do when they retire after nearly 30 years of service in the Canadian Forces?

For ex-military clearance diver Tim Stevens, he focused his knowledge and skills on making his profession safer for the next generation of sport and recreational divers.

“Diving is a thrilling experience, and on the whole, the technology today is solid. But there’s always more you can do to improve the equipment, and lessen the risk for people,” says the former Executive Officer of Fleet Diving Unit Pacific...[The Lookout]

S.C. reef system possible national marine monument...

A quarter of a mile under the sea, rows of 500-foot tall coral reef pinnacles form a forest for deep water fish, shrimp, crabs and other marine species many scientists didn't know existed until a decade ago.

The unique ecosystem is about 50 miles off the South Carolina coast and stretches 25,000 square miles from North Carolina to Florida. It extends more than a mile deep and could be one of the largest deep-water coral reef systems in the world, said Doug Rader, chief ocean scientist with the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund.

At the request of the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, Gov. Mark Sanford wrote to President Bush earlier this month to ask him to declare the reef system a national marine monument, which would protect it from oil exploration, dredging and other bottom damaging activities, including fishing with certain equipment that could harm the corals...[TheState.com]

Moscow invaded by sea creatures

The world’s leading underwater photographer David Doubilet presents his fascinating and sometimes frightening pictures of sea life at an open-air exhibition on Moscow's Chistoprudny Boulevard. -- [David Doubilet's Gallery]

The world of octopuses, shipwrecks and sharks might be frightening to many, but not for David Doubilet who's been taking pictures underwater for almost 50 years.

He started to dive in his hometown in New Jersey at the age of 12.

He has dived almost everywhere from Indonesia to the Caribbean, getting up close and personal with all sorts of marine life.

The underwater world is fascinating but it can also be hostile.

He had to fend off great white sharks with his camera while diving off Australia. Despite the danger, he is not going to stop the quest for rare underwater photographs. His next destination will be Russia's Lake Baikal...[Russia Today]

NYUPS Launches New Website to Celebrate One Year Anniversary

To celebrate the one year anniversary of The New York Underwater Photographic Society, the group has launched a new website. Over 200 NYUPS participants have enjoyed some of the featured events in the last year, which have included presentations from legendary underwater photographer David Doubilet, virtuoso Howard Schatz, as well as pro photographers such as Ethan Gordon, Doug Sloss, Jason Heller, and others. NYUPS events are held in a theatre setting with open bars and networking opportunities for the dynamic growing community of underwater photographers & videographers from NY, NJ, CT, PA and beyond.

The new website, NYUPS.org, is built on a social network platform and provides an opportunity for those residing outside of the local region to participate as well. Photographers & videographers are invited to create profiles and become members of NYUPS through the new website. Membership and all NYUPS events are free of charge and supported by DivePhotoGuide and a handful of gracious sponsors such as H2O Photo Pros, Archipelago Fleet, and PADI.

NYUPS is committed to promoting underwater imagery by hosting high quality events, creating an environment for underwater photographers & videographers to share and learn, and supporting marine conservation efforts and the local community. We hope to see you at an upcoming event or on the new website...[CameraTown.com]