African Diver Issue 22

April - May 2012 | Issue 22

Your Free Onl ine Div ing Magazine w w w. a f r i c a n d i v e r. c o m

w w w . a f r i c a n d i v e r . c o m

Port St Johns & Raffael la Schlegel

Featuring - Dri f t nets, Macro Photography

http://www.africandiver.com


Contents Page 2 | www.africandiver.com

C ontents

Cover Photograph by Ivan van Heerden

Editors: Cormac McCreesh & Paul Hunter

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REGULARS

Ed’s Logbook 3

FEATURES

Ivan van Heerden74

Health and Safety

DAN - Treatment of shark bites 44

Woman & Div ing

Raffaella Schlegel66Conservat ion

Illegal drift nets 12

Creature feature - Nudibranchs4

Know your sea birds - Cape Gannets54

Underwater Photography

Macro photography20

Port St Johns30 DAN - Bites and attacks62



Raffaella Schlegel is well-known, locally and internationally, in shark diving circles and we’re proud to feature this dynamic lady in our Women and Diving section. Raffa’s passion for sharks and living the dream is infectious and inspirational and her message of changing your life to follow your dreams is one we could all give deep consideration to.

And finally, we feature the fantastic photography of Ivan van Heerden. Hailing from South Africa and currently resident in Pennington, Ivan has been privileged to travel the world and learn underwater photography from the best. The images he’s chosen to share with us are brilliant and bold. We hope you’ll enjoy them as much as we do.

May your bubbles always be free

Cormac

Ed’s Logbook

We have had tremendously positive feedback from readers about our Aliwal Shoal feature. I even had the pleasure of diving with a group of french divers who were inspired to explore Aliwal Shoal after downloading, reading and even printing issue 21. It’s always a pleasure meeting people who read our magazine and gratifying to read comments and emails from readers who mail us. We really do welcome feedback regardless of whether it’s constructive criticism or positive praise.

Our first article in this issue is a brilliantly light-hearted article on

nudibranchs, by Christophe Mason-Parker, on how divers become addicted to searching for them. I don’t know of any diver who doesn’t enjoy nudibranchs and the images in this article illustrate perfectly why divers become addicted to finding the little guys. In keeping with the theme of the little guys, we’ve also included an article by Paul Hunter on his journey learning about macro photography.

We’ve been following the growth of a European organization called The Black Fish. They are devoted to marine protection and their voice is getting louder but they also back up their conservation commitment with action. Their forthcoming campaign is against illegal driftnets in the Mediterranean and we were quite shocked to learn of the extent of the problem. Sadly, it’s a political problem that requires bold steps and strong leadership to solve. Our second article is by Wietse van der Werf of the Black Fish and focuses on the damage illegal drift nets do to the marine environment.

The months of June and July see divers, photographers and film crews congregating in the swashbuckling town of Port St Johns for the annual sardine run. So I visited the town to see if there was more to the town than sardine fever. I was delighted to delve into the culture and characters there and an article on the town was a natural conclusion to my trip. And seeing as gannets are the indicator species for sardine activity (along with common dolphin) we thought a little feature on this fascinating bird appropriate.

Port St Johns


Creature Feature - Nudibranchs

Risbecia tryoni

Article and images by Christophe Mason-Parker

Dealing with an addiction


Have you ever found yourself in conversation with non-diver friends, perhaps recounting stories of your recent trip away; the excellent weather, the fantastic local food and of course the diving? You impress them with tales of friendly turtles and curious sharks but then inexplicably, as you become carried away with the excitement of remembering your underwater excursions, you blurt out the word nudibranch.

Suddenly the group goes quiet, the polite ooh’s and ahh’s stop abruptly and you become patently aware that you are on the verge of exposing your guilty secret.

“A what?” one of the group predictably enquires. “Um, its a type of sea slug “ you mutter in a hushed

voice, not wishing to attract the attention of others around you.

“A sea slug!” another of your companions invariably repeats at such a level that all those at the back of the room are now gazing in your direction.

No matter which way you look at it, trying to convince non-divers that sea slugs are exciting is no simple task. Moreover when you explain that you are willing to travel huge distances at a significant financial cost to search for these animals, you are typically greeted with a look that suggests you should perhaps seek medical advice.

Nembrotha lineolata feeding on a spongeCreature Feature - Nudibranchs


To the outside world ‘nudi-hunters’ are viewed with suspicion. Like stamp collectors or train spotters, they are considered obsessive by nature, usually middle-aged men with an unhealthy interest in the Star Wars films. The reality could not be further from the truth (though some of us do live up to the stereotype). Take a look at the Sea Slug Forum or Nudipixel.net (always a worry typing this one into your URL) and you will see that Nudibranch fans come from all walks of life.

So what’s the big attraction? Well, let’s start at the beginning. The word ‘Nudibranch’ comes from the greek meaning ‘naked gill’ and refers to the breathing apparatus or branchial plume located on the back of the animal.

In fact when divers talk about nudibranchs they are often actually referring to the subclass Opisthobranchia, which includes nudibranchs, seahares, sidegill slugs and their relatives.

Nudibranchs have soft extended bodies, usually with a pair of rhinophores on the head. These sensory organs are used for chemo-detection, helping the animal to detect predators, prey, or possible mates. Many species have external gills, either in the form of a branchial plume on their back or elongated gills on the side of the body beneath their mantle.

Opisthobranchs vary in size from a

couple of milimetres up to 50cm in length. Some species display vivid colourations with contrasting psychedelic patterns that serve to warn off predators. Other species blend so well into their background that they become almost impossible to see.

A variety of habitats provide shelter to nudibranch species, from mangrove and seagrass beds to rocky and coral reefs. Next time you are at the beach check out the tide pools exposed at low tide as they can produce an abundance of specimens. Many species bury themselves in the sand or hide under rocks, only coming out into the open with a rising tide.

They are distributed throughout the world’s oceans but diversity is richest in tropical regions. In South Africa the area around Sodwana Bay has a particularly high abundance of nudibranch species.

Feeding habits vary widely amongst

nudibranchs from herbivourous grazers to cannibalistic carnivores.

Many species feed on particular sponges, and this is always a good place to start looking for them. Other favoured prey items include, tunicates, sea anemones, corals and sea pens.

Sea slugs are hermaphroditic, meaning that they possess both male and female sexual organs. Despite their genderless disposition, nudibranchs do require a partner to reproduce.

The sexual organs of a nudibranch are always located on the right hand side of the animal behind the head, and so reproduction takes place when the individuals position themselves head to tail.



A pair of Gymnodoris ceylonica prepare to mate



Like the animals, nudibranch eggs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with many species producing attractive looking egg ribbons. The presence of these brightly coloured spirals attached to the substrate is usually a good indication that there are nudibranchs in the area.

Nudibranchs move by crawling along the substrate on a muscular foot, with some species of Chromdoris able to flap their mantle as they crawl. A few species such as the aptly named Spanish Dancer (Hexabranchus sanguineus) are able to swim by flapping their mantle allowing them to take to the water column in an attempt to escape predators.

With over 3000 Opisthobranch species discovered so far across a variety of habitats it is obvious that they are a diverse and fascinating group of animals. But what separates them from other invertebrates, say the crabs or the urchins, and has propelled them to such dizzy heights with devotees across the globe?

In many cases the animals’ striking colour, causes them to stand out from the background and will draw a diver in for a closer look. However, there is far more to their appeal than this. Enthusiasts don’t just look for nudibranchs on dives, but will dive specifically to look for nudibranchs.

The infatuation does hint at the geek inside all of us, to people’s obsessive nature and their desire to hoard. In the case of nudibranchs it is not the animal that is being collected but quite often a photograph.

This photographic image serves as proof to having seen a certain species, a trophy to be labeled, catalogued and stored with others in a digital library.

The fact that nudibranchs are small, slow moving, and

often brightly coloured, makes them the perfect subject for those with even the most basic of camera setups. What’s more, there are an almost endless number to encounter alongside the real possibility of discovering an unidentified species.

Despite being slow moving, their small size means nudibranchs are frequently difficult to find, and this rarity goes some way to further explaining the attraction. Like kids on a treasure hunt, the adventure is often the pursuit and the hunger only satisfied upon the discovery of a specimen.


The bright colours of Phyllidia varicosa act as a warning to predators


What started off as a mild interest quickly grows into a full-blown infatuation and before you know it you are hooked. It is this thrill of finding something new that awakens the inner child in us and has nudi-hunters around the globe combing the seabed for another species to add to their collection.

So the next time you are at a dinner party, don’t be embarrassed to let slip your secret. So what if you can tell your Hypselodoris from your Dendrodoris, or your rhinophores from your branchial plume. Remember you are not alone out there, so stand up and tell the world, you’re a nudi-geek and you’re proud of it!

Tips for finding nudibranchs• Be patient and take your time• Check under rocks and rubble -

remember to always put rocks back where you find them• Make use of a rising tide - many nudibranchs

will come out into the open• Look out for their food source - nudibranchs can

often be found on sponges or soft corals• Revisit at different times - a site will often have

different species present during the day and night• Take a buddy – two pairs of eyes are better then one


The Spanish Dancer Hexabranchus sanguineus is able to swim by flapping its mantle



The psychedelic colours of Hypselodoris kanga


Photo by Christophe Mason-Parker

http://www.divinginafrica.co.za


Article by Wietse van der Werf

Conservation - Drift Nets

Time To Act On The Curtains Of Death

Divers work to free a sperm whale entangled in driftnet. Alberto Romeo

http://www.theblackfish.org


Without sounding like denouncing the importance of ending the continued slaughter of dolphins and whales by hunters from Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands and Japan, it is quite unsettling to realise that the total number of victims by these hunts account for less than 5% of the total number of cetaceans killed by driftnets in the Mediterranean Sea every year.

Tens of thousands of animals die in these so-called ‘Curtains of Death’ annually, with whales, dolphins, turtles and sharks being the most commonly caught victims. Furthermore, the species targeted by this indiscriminate fishing method are more often than not over-exploited. Thus populations of bluefin tuna and swordfish, for example, are under severe threat from overfishing throughout the Mediterranean region.

In perhaps the biggest victory for the marine conservation movement over industrial fishing to date, the United Nations banned the use of driftnets on the high seas in 1992. However, much like the global moratorium on commercial whaling, many flouted the new rules.


How cruelty, destruction and fraud obstructs the fight against illegal driftnets

Drowned turtles caught in abandoned nets. Projeto Tamar Brazil/Marine Photobank


The difference is that, unlike the whaling debate, all nations agree that driftnets are illegal. It is not something open to interpretation.

Regardless of the fact that the driftnet ban is a fairly straight-forward agreement, it seems that a number of governments are unable to implement it competently. The ban outlaws a specific type of fishing gear that is easily identifiable and therefore easily monitored and stopped. Well that’s the idea at least. As soon as the UN ban was implemented a discussion started among European policy makers. It was felt that new separate regulations were needed to effectively police the driftnet ban in European waters.

It took ten years to implement this and in 2002 the European Union ratified a similar ban as the UN had done in 1992. It goes without saying that in those 10 years European fishermen were able to continue to use driftnets unopposed, even though plenty of legal options were available to European law enforcers to act.

Even after 2002 fishermen from France, Italy, Turkey and Morocco continued to use the nets. The French claimed their driftnets weren’t driftnets but called them ‘thonaille’ instead, claiming they were in the right as they were distinctly different, being traditional French nets. The law-makers at the EU were forced to enact even more legislation and it took another five years until the law left no doubt as to what exactly constitutes a driftnet.

During these five years the French driftnet fleet continued to operate illegally and was, strangely enough, awarded generous fishing quotas by the French government just before the new legislation came into force. In addition the French are known to have operated illegally within the Palagos Sanctuary during this period. The sanctuary is the largest marine protected area in the Mediterranean Sea, covering over 87,000 km2 and situated North of Sardinia, surrounding Corsica completely.

This and much more of the information on illegal driftnets has been collected by the organisation Oceana.

Dispatching observers in various ports to document illegal vessels and keeping an eye on the political situation, Oceana has been very effective at bringing the driftnet issue into the public eye and onto the agenda of responsible officials. Another aspect the organisation has been very successful at is exposing fraud with regard to fishing subsidies.

In addition to the French, Italian fishermen have continued to fish with the prohibited driftnets on a large scale. To tackle this, the EU gave Italian fishermen an estimated €200 million in fisheries subsidies in the last 5 years to convert to other fishing techniques and destroy the driftnets. The money disappeared: some fishermen laundered the funds through questionable schemes and others used it to buy even bigger nets.

In addition to this, a large number of nets were moved to Morocco, where Italians set up companies and started an export trade of mostly swordfish (which is commonly caught using driftnets) back to Italy.




Trawler out at seaflickr.com/adstream


Within a single year the export of swordfish from Morocco to Italy rose by over 80%. You don’t have to be a fisheries expert to realise what is going on.

Oceana estimates that 500 vessels continue to use the illegal driftnet fishing gear across the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the French have now abandoned their driftnets, yet Italian, Turkish and Moroccan fishermen continue with the activity.

It is unthinkable that illegal activity of any kind that continues to wreck lives and cause damage to biodiversity on such an international scale, is allowed to carry on relatively unchallenged. Even the fact that the fraud with fishing subsidies has been allowed to take place relatively unpunished should set some alarm bells ringing in Brussels.

However, it stays relatively quiet on that front. It is as if, aside from agreeing to ban driftnets in the first place, European governments are mostly united in their unwillingness to deal with these issues in a swift and effective way.

If this type of situation was drug related or impacted on the financial world, it would have been dealt with robustly a long time ago.

The law is soft on f ishermen and negative impacts on marine l i fe are in no way a priority on the polit ical agenda.


Bluefin tuna is heavily threatened by overfishingMarco Car√®/Marine Photobank


While EU law-makers and local enforcement agencies are doing little to act on the continued driftnet criminality, a growing number of people are effectively organising to combat the issue.

Set up by a group of young conservationists, The Black Fish is one of the fastest growing international marine conservation initiatives and currently expanding into a number of ambitious campaigns. The Black Fish is not just another organisation, instead it is a network of ordinary people acting to realise adequate attention and effective protection for threatened sea life.

What our oceans need more than anything is a broad public movement to fight for its survival. Movement building requires grassroots organising, cooperation between organisations and the involvement of people from all parts of society - beyond the standard options of signing up for membership or being advised on ‘ethical’ consumer choices. There are thousands of people interested in the issues of ocean conservation, yet what truly lacks is an accessible network for ordinary people to get involved in. This is where The Black Fish aims to step in.

At the moment The Black Fish is working towards the

purchase of its first ship. The vessel will enable the investigation of illegal fishing practices in European waters, facilitate the running of an education and training program and help satisfy the urgent need for more direct

action campaigns at sea.

Conservation - Drift NetsInternational crew of The Black Fish

The Mayor of Brighton shows her support at The Black Fish stall



Zeno 1325, The Black Fish’s first action boat

The Zeno 1325 was formerly in service with the Dutch Lifeguards

Zeno 1325 being placed in the water for test runs

Preparations for the Mediterranean Driftnet Campaign


The Black Fish will launch its new campaign to end the use of illegal driftnets in the Mediterranean Sea this spring. Be sure to join us.

Find out more about our work and ways to become involved, or support us at

www.theblackfish.org

Sea turtle trapped in abandoned fishing net

Eric Leong/Marine Photobank




Article & Photos by Paul Hunter

Macro Photography

Aperture F22, shutter speed 1/250th, two YS-90 strobes, Nikon F100(Wakatobi)

MacroWhere I started from

Photography -


From as far back as I remember I have always been intrigued with what lies beneath our ocean’s surface, but it wasn’t until 2000 when I did my open water course and got to experience it all first hand, that I truly started marveling at the incredible world down there. I remember enthusiastically sharing my experiences with my friends and family with great excitement and awe. As memory serves me, it was only in 2002 while diving in Mozambique that I saw a fellow diver take a camera underwater.

I still remember the camera setup; it was a Sony P5 with a Sony housing and the reason I remember this so clearly is because when I got back home, I rushed off to buy myself the identical setup.

With numerous boxes on the table before me, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning; excited and anticipating great wonders.

I had just taken delivery of my new underwater housing and had a smile on my face from ear to ear. After completing the tedious assembly of the housing, I came to the harsh realization that I was now not only broke but also had absolutely no inkling of where to start.

We have a saying for this: ‘All the gear, no idea’.

Macro Photography

Aperture F16, shutter speed 1/125th, two YS_90 strobes, Nikon D200(Sodwana)


I was completely clueless with regard to photography. But slowly, over the next two years I used this compact camera as a means of building my confidence and sharing my underwater images with family and friends. I had absolutely no idea about skills such as lighting, f-stops, composition and photography in general. It was all point and shoot and I was completely satisfied with the results I obtained.

Little did I know that a visit to a local mall in 2004 would change the way I saw underwater photography, and photography in general.

The local underwater photographic society had an exhibition on display in the mall and I was just blown away by the images. I could not understand why my images did not even remotely resemble the images they had on exhibit.

I immediately contacted the chairman of this group and arranged to join as I was determined to take photos like the ones I’d seen.

Overnight I became obsessed with improving my photography. I bought and read books, trawled the internet and listened to every word the photographers around me had to say. I actually read the user ’s manual to my camera to understand what my camera could do. I had never used the macro function and did not even know that the little flower icon meant “macro”.

Initially, I was encouraged to try shooting macro as it is reasonably easy to master and I could get immediate improvements in my results if I followed a few basic rules.

The other aspect was to work within the benefits and limitations of my camera. The benefits were that my equipment was small and light, which meant I could get in close to subjects and into small spaces.

It was recommended that I purchase an external strobe - which I duly did. I was also encouraged to use the manual settings on my camera instead of auto mode.

I was also told to understand aperture and shutter speeds to help improve my photography in the long run. It was frustrating at times but keeping at it led to it eventually coming naturally to me.

With the few pointers I had picked up and been taught, my imagery began to improve. I was no longer afraid to try different settings or techniques, which is what I believe to be the main hurdle for people who are just starting photography as a hobby.

If you want to improve your photography, whether you own a compact or a DSLR, don’t be afraid to experiment. Also, try moving the strobe around for various lighting effects and shoot your subject from every conceivable angle. Study the different results afterwards and decide which works for you and your equipment and which does not. Choose images you like and use the technique again, maybe adding something, changing something or trying to duplicate the same result or improve on it.

Macro Photography


The next step in the process is to improve on what you have already achieved. The best way to do this is to get feedback on your images. In order to do this you must be able to handle a little criticism, but don’t take it personally. Rather see it as a way of learning and to improve your photography. Someone else’s opinion or suggestion may come in very useful. You always have the choice to use the advice or ignore it. I found this the fastest way to improve my images. If you are nervous about doing this face to face or in person, consider joining forums like Wetpixel, which has thousands of experienced users willing to give advice and help.

The next logical step for me was to upgrade to a full DSLR setup. This in itself has a whole new range of challenges and learning curves but the basics of photography stay the same.

Initially, the first few dives were frustrating as the equipment was much heavier and bulkier and felt more awkward than what I had become accustomed to. It affected my buoyancy and I felt uncomfortable, but this speed bump disappeared after just a few dives. In all honesty diving with a camera actually forced me to improve my buoyancy and diving skills.

Before

After

Macro Photography

Before shot: Full auto-mode, Sony)

Aperture F16, shutter speed 1/125th, two YS_90 strobes, Nikon D200(Sodwana)


Before Macro Photography

Before shot: Full auto-mode, Sony)


AfterMacro Photography

Aperture F32, shutter speed 1/250th, two YS_90 strobes, Nikon D200 (Sipadan)


As someone that has a lot of respect for the ocean and everything that lives within it, I try my upmost not to cause any damage. We all, as divers, have at some stage been the source of some sort of damage, albeit unintentionally. This factor increases when you do underwater photography as you are closer to the reef, especially when doing macro photography.

Please also remember that no shot is worth any damage to reef or injury to any marine life.

I also had the misconception that my images would improve exponentially overnight because of all my expensive new equipment. Disappointingly, this was not to be anywhere near to the reality of the situation. Pricey equipment does not guarantee you a professional result.

In some ways I had to start over using the knowledge I had built up and progress from there. Speaking to a number of photographers it was recommended that I start with macro again and once comfortable with the discipline to move to wide angle. It’s not that macro is easier but there are a couple of constants that helped me get some pleasing results right from the start.

To help me get started it was suggested that I preset my camera with a few standard settings on land before entering

the water. I would set my aperture to F22 and a shutter speed of 125/sec and I still follow this practice today. Depending on the subject and angle I either increase or decrease aperture and the same for the strobe power. The more you practice and understand your equipment the better your results become.

Another aspect of macro photography I would like to mention is reducing the pace of your dive to spend adequate time on your subject. You will not get the required results with one or two shots. If you are shown a subject by the dive guide that you would like to photograph, firstly allow the other divers to have a look and then when they move off you can move in and start your process. There is nothing worse than trying to photograph a subject with numerous divers all around you. The ocean is for all and for all to see so have respect for other divers. This aspect becomes a little more difficult when there are a number of photographers together on a dive. My thinking on this is that if a photographer finds a subject they are entitled to spend some time with it but at the same time also share with others. Its a difficult one but use your discretion.

During your diving experience you will come across very selfish divers and photographers but I promise you that the majority are very friendly, passionate and more than willing to share experiences with you.

Macro Photography


Macro Photography

Aperture F22, shutter speed 1/125th, two YS_90 strobes, Nikon D200 (Sodwana) Aperture F32, shutter speed 1/125th, two YS_90 strobes, Nikon D200(Sodwana)


I would like to leave you with this message:

Improvement comes with practice and patience. And when you think you’ve perfected those two aspects ... you haven’t, it’s an on-going process. So, I can honestly say that after all the time that I’ve spent with cameras in my hands, I can always learn something new or different with a little imagination, some creativity, patience, passion, persistence and interest - these are the ingredients for moving forward with this fascinating hobby. If you are open to wanting to learn, you will.

Macro Photography

Aperture F22, shutter speed 1/125th, two YS-90 strobes, Nikon F100(Wakatobi)

Aperture F14, shutter speed 1/125th, YS-90 strobes and YS-350, Nikon D200(Pomene)


Photo by: Paul Hunter

mailto:mailto:editor%40africandiver.com?subject=Sardine%20run%202012


Port St JohnsArticle: Cormac McCreesh | Images: Rob Nettleton

Hot Spot - Port St Johns

Approximately 380 kilometers south of Durban and 300 kilometers north of East London, the Umzimvubu River runs its final gauntlet and slips between the two “gates” of Mount Thesiger to the south and Mount Sullivan to the north. On its southern banks lies the town of Port St Johns.


Captain Jack Sparrow and the crew of the Black Pearl would not be out of place here. The town abounds with swashbuckling raconteurs and backpacking gypsies. Eco-friendly hippies mix with youthful adventurers and the occasional societal dropout.

Sangomas (indigenous healers) practice their art on the beaches in the dead of night and at dawn. It’s a heady mixture of culture, nationalities, eccentric personalities and modern day pirates, and once a year it’s the launch pad for local and international divers, film crews, photographers and dive operators all searching for that elusive adrenaline rush of being part of the annual “sardine run”.

Established as a supply port in 1878, under treaty with the local Pondo tribe, the town was a welcome sight for sailors braving the seas of South Africa’s Wild Coast. The Wild Coast is home to the Xhosa people of South Africa and got its name from its reputation for being the graveyard for ships. Sudden storms, wild winds, heavy seas, rocky shores and freak waves have claimed the bones of many ships with the most well-known being the Grosvenor, the SS Waratah and the MV Oceanos.



The Grosvenor went down on the 4th of

August 1782 along the Pondoland coast

north of the Umzimvubu River and close

to the place where the Sao Joao had gone

down in 1552. She was on her return

voyage to London and carried a crew of

132 and 18 passengers. Her cargo was

valued at £75000 in those days.

The SS Waratah was a 150 metre long

steamship that operated between Europe

and Australia in the early 1900s. In July

1908, en route from Durban to Cape Town,

she disappeared with 211 passengers and

crew. To date no trace has been found of

her.

And on the 4th of August 1991 the

French built, Greek owned cruise ship the

MV Oceanos sank. She was en route from

East London to Durban. All 571 people

on board were saved and she now lies

at a depth of between 92 and 97 meters

south of Coffee Bay and Hole in the Wall,

about 5 kilometers offshore.

For a while it was thought that Port St Johns derived its name from the wrecked Portuguese ship Sao Joao until it was discovered that that ship had in fact run aground north of the (then) village and near Port Edward.

The origin of the name remains a mystery despite claims that on certain days the profile of Saint John the Baptist can be made out on some cliffs near the river.




Waterfall Bluff


For a while the town enjoyed the visitations of ships on their grand journeys but the greater range of modern ships and the gradual silting of the Umzimvubu River led to the decline of the town and the closure of the harbour in the early 1940s. Today the Umzimvubu River (Umzimvubu means hippo in Xhosa) flows gently into the sea mixing it’s silty brown water into the nutrient rich waters of the currents that define this coastline, while the Mounts of Thesiger and Sullivan watch over it. These two mounts are named after the British officers who represented the British when the port was established.

The closure of the harbour led to the isolation of the town and its appeal to eccentrics grew, as did the “live and let live” attitude of its inhabitants and its current appeal to travelers.

Today, Port St Johns comprises approximately 3 000 inhabitants and is actually two hamlets spread over first and second beach with third beach being isolated and undisturbed. First beach is alongside the town’s busy centre with its taxi rank, supermarket, shops and street stalls. Second beach is more laid back and is a prime tanning and swimming beach that is growing in popularity. Sadly, this beach has been the scene of six horrific fatal shark attacks since 2007; a result perhaps of increased water activity by humans in a natural stop off point for sharks.


The rugged rock formations at Waterfall Bluff


The entire Wild Coast is known for sharks - it is an un-exploited resource for fish and an estuarine reproduction area for many fish and shark species. There is ongoing research on shark species in and around the area and zambezi (bull) shark pups have recently been tagged in the Umzimvubu River. Dusky, copper, zambezi, blacktip and thresher sharks have also recently been tagged along the nearby coastline and great whites have been seen too.

Port St Johns is surrounded by rural and wild countryside and Pondoland scarp forests. This gives it its unique climate and is part of its charm and attraction.

The average annual temperature is 19°c, with the hottest months being December to March and the coolest, June to August. February is the wettest month and July the driest.

On average, there are 82 days of rain. The fishing is good and the best time to visit is April to August.

It is prime hiking country and is growing in popularity with mountain bikers, canoeists and birders. Horse trails are being developed and two local operators offer dolphin and whale watching trips. Handicrafts, produced by the locals, are in abundance.

There is an airstrip on the top of Mount Thesiger and the roads in and out of Port St Johns are reasonable and very scenic. The town has a well-stocked supermarket, a clinic, a doctor to handle emergencies and a pharmacy.

Because of its wild and under-developed countryside and its forests, Port St Johns is a popular location for films and documentaries that require remote settings; parts of the film Blood Diamond were filmed here.

The continental shelf is closer inshore along the Wild Coast than other parts of the South African coastline, which probably accounts for the many shipwrecks, but is also the reason the annual sardine run is best experienced from Port St Johns.

During the months of June and July, and sometimes August as well, many dive operators base themselves in Port St Johns. Visitors from all over the world come to experience this unique phenomenon and the town bustles with life.

The many bars, lodges and backpacker joints pulsate with activity and the mouth of the river often becomes a congested staging point for boats waiting for a break in the waves to launch into the sea.




View of 2nd beach


And on the days when the weather Gods are unkind and launching to sea is impossible, visitors head off to experience the unique sights in the area or just laze about while Port St Johns relaxes their souls


Sangoma performing traditional rituals

Local band performing for guests at Jungle Monkey Backpackers


Tern hunting sprats

Far left: Copper shark and terns hunting sprats

Left: Dorsal fin of a great white shark cuts the surface with the coastline in the background


Things to do and places to visit:

The Gap and Blow Hole. The Blow Hole is best viewed when seas are rough. Seawater is forced through a natural chimney and shot some 20 meters into the air.

Airfield and dams. Sundowners on Mount Thesiger’s airfield is a must do activity. From here you have spectacular views of the Umzimvubu river and Mount Sullivan.

Poenskop beach. This is one of the area’s most isolated and natural beaches and boasts great fishing opportunities.

The Wild Coast museum in Port St Johns main road contains much on the history and culture of the Pondo people of the area.

Isinuka (place of the smell) springs. Natural sulphur spring of great importance in Pondo culture.

Dolphins and Whale watching sea-faris.

Eagles nest. This is a cliff overlooking the town and is a wonderful place to enjoy a sundowner.

Cape Hermes lighthouse. Named after the HMS Hermes that surveyed the Pondoland coast and built n 1903 it’s light is visible from 13 nautical miles.


Chance encounter with a humpback whale on a photo safari


Cape Hermes lighthouse


African Diver was hosted by Rob Nettleton of Offshore Africa Port St Johns. Rob and Debbie Smith (of Diving with Sharks) are experienced shark and sardine run operators that live in Port St Johns.

In addition to their shark and sardine activities Rob and Debbie offer offshore educational and photographic tours offering great opportunities to view dolphins, whales and a large stretch of coastline hardly seen due to its ruggedness. They also are keen divers and have mapped many unique diving spots including an unmarked wreck.

Additional thanks go to John Costello for sharing his knowledge of the town, its history, culture and for the use of his underwater images.


Common dolphin encountered on a photo safari

Colourful sponges and soft corals, by John Costello


Snorkelers encountering common dolphin with Waterfall Bluff in the background


Photo by: Ivan van Heerden

http://www.agulhashouse.com


Health & Safety - DAN Treatment of a shark bite

Treatment of a shark bite Written by Sean French


The film ‘JAWS’, with its effect compounded by two more sequels, affected the human psyche more than any other media event in the 20th century.

The average person with media awareness therefore gets into the sea with the thought of a shark’s presence either in the fore - or background of their minds.


To make matters worse, you can’t always see them as well as what they can ‘see’ us or, are aware of our presence in their world. In the wilderness, at least you will have more awareness of dangerous predators.

A further benefit on land is that you might have a tree to jump into and if you’re injured, at least you won’t drown – the ultimate killer of many shark attack victims that might otherwise have survived the shark bite.

A factor that determines the frequency of water activity is the water sports enthusiast’s ability to actively suppress the fearful thought of crossing paths with a dangerous shark.

In fact, the thought is so effectively suppressed that it doesn’t dampen their enthusiasm or enjoyment. But, as we all know bad things do happen and some shark species do bite people - worldwide. Unfortunately, despite these numbers being low, the psychological impact is dramatic.

The purpose of this article is not to fascinate (or to bore) you, as an informed diver, with the amazing senses of successful evolution of sharks. Rather, the focus will be more on the odds, forensics, survivability, treatment and preventability of a shark attack and then we’ll also look at the shark species that pose the biggest risk to humans and more specifically, divers.





For the analytical types the forensic properties of the shark bite are quite amusing. To best appreciate the strength of a shark’s bite, we’ll use the human bite as a reference.

A Grey Reef Shark exerts about 70kg of bite force; twice the amount of pressure exerted by a human bite. Before we quantify the power of a shark bite, it must be said that the severity of a shark bite is not only determined by the jaw strength but by the destructive force of the teeth as well. Essentially, the bottom teeth serve as forks and the top row does the cutting.

Of all sharks, the tiger shark has the meanest set of teeth with the most destructive tissue shearing force as it not only cuts but saws; all in one single biting action. To make matters worse, some of the larger sharks have a fast speed of approach of up to 25mph and once the victim is taken, can continue at about 15mph - compounding the shearing force of the bite.

After the physical and psychological recovery of a bite on his left calf by a Bull shark in the Bahamas in 2002, Dr Erich Ritter embarked on an intensive forensic study on the damaging effect of the bites of different ‘high-risk’ sharks.

As Chief Scientist of the Global Shark Attack File he compiled a team of plastics & polymer technologists, orthopedic surgeons, medical technicians and cinema special effects technicians to analyze and recreate almost every aspect of a shark bite – angle and speed of approach, bite force required to sever muscle and/or bone.

To quantify the bite power to understandable figures, the flesh ripping strength of a Bull (Zambezi) shark is 150kg. After finding out what force was required to rip his calf muscle right off, Dr Ritter was curious about the bite force required to bite through bone.

The fortunate survivor of this unfortunate experience was Heather Boswell in 1994.

Working as chef on a medium size cruise vessel in the Pacific near Easter Island, she felt like a quick swim in the sea during a break. Swimming near a small tender she was attacked by a large Great White. Soon after grabbing hold of her she felt a ‘pop’ as her femur was snapped, shown by Dr Ritter and his team to require a bite force of 400kg. Heather is the only known person to date to survive a bite as severe as this (see Table 1)

The Forensics of a Bite


Body Areas BittenFor the analyst, the following percentages represent the body

areas bitten in attacks recorded since the mid-50’s to 1990:

Note that all these percentages collectively exceed 100 due to multiple injuries occurring in the same attack e.g. trauma to the hands when fighting off the shark or due to arms/hands being near the leg during the bite by a large shark.

As we’ve seen above, different sharks have varying degrees of destructive capability with their jaws/teeth. Your survivability depends on the damage done to various vital anatomical structures. The following is a simple guide:

TABLE 1

GRADE ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES AFFECTED

POSSIBLE OUTCOME

Grade 1 • Both femoral arteries• One femoral and one posterior tibial artery• One femoral artery in upper 1/3 of thigh

Grade 2 • One femoral artery in lower 2/3 of thigh• One brachial artery• Two posterior tibial arteries• Abdominal wounds with (major) internal organ involvement

Grade 3 • One posterior tibial artery • Superficial limb wounds with no arteries cut • Superficial trunk injuries

FATAL

Should survive if

proper beach

treatment is available

Always live if properly

treated

Severity of a bite


MANAGEMENT OF A SHARK BITE VICTIMFor any emergency care practitioner a severe shark attack is

a nightmare to deal with. In such a scenario shock is the Grim Reaper; more specifically hypovolemic shock compounded by multi-organ failure. As can be seen above, if large blood vessels are damaged, the body’s compensatory mechanism is severely challenged.

The initial scene and patient approach priorities can be illustrated by the 4 S’s:

• SAFETY – Safety of the rescuer(s) and then the patient

• SEND – Summon Advanced Life Support Assistance

• STABILISE – Without unnecessary delay, stabilize the patient before

rushing off to hospital on the back of a bakkie. Your

primary focus is stopping bleeding and managing shock

• SCOOT – Getting the patient to a suitable medical facility for a surgeon

to plug the holes as soon as possible together with the

intravenous administration of whole blood products will

bring about the best prognosis

For immediate first aid care priorities, the ABCD will guide you best:

A – Despite the compelling focus (or distraction) of the bite, ensure

the patient’s AIRWAY is open to facilitate easy breathing

B – Ensure that the patient is BREATHING and if not, provide assisted

ventilations. If available, supplemental oxygen is invaluable to

sustain metabolic oxygen requirements, especially if some

blood is lost

C – Monitor blood CIRCULATION; not only the presence of a pulse in

an unconscious victim but also the strength and rate in a conscious

patient. The radial pulse (wrist) is a crude but handy guide to

indicate what you’re dealing with. If the patient is conscious but

has no palpable radial pulse, shock is pretty well established

and you need to escalate your sense of urgency and arrange

intravenous access promptly. If no radial pulse is present you

need to monitor the carotid pulse as your default assessment site.

Please note that if there is injury to the arm or leg it is wise to

check the ‘distal’ pulse – opposite the wound on either the wrist

or top of foot; whichever is relevant.

D – DISABILITIES caused by complete or partial amputations do

sometimes occur which escalates your shock management focus

to the highest level. To stop bleeding in these cases with direct

pressure and elevation alone won’t be sufficient. Although not

taught in first aid, in these severe cases a tourniquet should be

used from the start where the concern for the ‘loss of life’ is

greater than the concern for the ‘loss of the limb’. Remember

this; exsanguination (bleeding to death) ‘hurts more’ than an

elective amputation after a bite victim has been stabilized.


ShockFor effective management, it is best to look at shock in a simplified yet

functional way: pump failure, vessel failure or fluid loss. These will

manifest in three main stages as Compensating, De-compensating and

Irreversible. The following guide is simple and useful:

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS COMPENSATING DE - COMPENSATING IRREVERSEABLE

Sweating Excessively Moderately NonePale skin / mucous

membranesNormal to slightly

palePale Very pale

Breathing Increased Very fast Slow & shallowPulse Increased Very fast Slow & weak

Speech Normal Normal - confused

Confused - minimal

Level of consciousness

Normal Normal - confused

Confused - coma

Capillary refill - nailbeds

1-2 secs More than 2 secs Pale – no refill

Blood pressure Normal Slightly lower than Normal

Very low

The Most Dangerous SharksTable 4 is a statistical illustration provided by the International Shark

Attack File from the Florida Museum of Natural History of which species

of shark most often attack humans; starting from the least at no 1 to the

most attacks by a specimen on humans at no 10. To indicate the risk of a

specific shark’s bite, a risk-index is used and is illustrated below in Table

3 as Priority 1, 2 or 3. With sharks this risk-index is based on the size of

the bite, size of the shark, teeth configuration, jaw anatomy, jaw strength

and general tenacity.

PRIORITY CODE STATUSP1 RED Almost dead, dying or will die if no specialized

interventions are started asap

P2 YELLOW Not critical but could become critical with time if no proper care is given soon

P3 GREEN Walking wounded (to prevent complacency with this category, please note that secondary infection from a shark bite could deteriorate to increase morbidity)

TABLE 2

TABLE 3

Note that the order of listing below has no relationship with the risk-

index but is in fact closely related to the Grades of injury (Table 1). It

just illustrates statistically of the more than 400 species of sharks, the 10

species that do attack humans most often and of those which are the most

common culprits, not necessarily the most dangerous in any particular

order:

FREQ PICTURE TYPE OF SHARK

RISK INDEX COMMENTS

1 Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris)

P2/3

2 Blue Shark (Prionac e glauca)

P2/3

3 Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)

P2/3

4 Ragged-Tooth (Eugomphodus Taurus)

P2/3

5 Grey Reef (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

P2/3 most attacks on scuba divers

6 Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)

P2/3

7 Oceanic Whitetip(Charcharhinus longimanus)

P2/3

8 Tiger Shark(Galeocerdo cuvier)

P1/2

9 Great White (Charcharodon carcharias)

P1/2

10 Bull / Zambezi Shark (Charcharhinus leucas)

P2/3

TABLE 4

Images from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


What are the odds?Further interesting statistics from the data-base of the International

Shark Attack File from the Florida Museum of Natural History reveals

that in over 3500 attacks recorded since 1580, only a fraction of all shark

attacks were on scuba divers. Of all those attacks, 85% were close to

shore of which about two-thirds were in less than 5 feet of water. For

the average person that enjoys the sea often, the risk of a shark attack is

calculated to be less than being struck by lightning, winning the lotto

or a coconut falling on your head. More people are killed annually by

faulty toasters than by sharks. Looking at these interesting odds from

another angle, even though more people die from bee stings or malaria,

I don’t know of anyone orchestrating a ‘hate-campaign’ against bees or

mosquitoes – why’s that? Don’t they also take away ‘loved ones’, with

relatives left behind feeling sad, bitter, helpless and disillusioned?

Despite these relatively comforting odds mentioned earlier, shark

attacks, compounded by the bloody and traumatic nature of the event,

elicit deep primal fears. Again, some more food for thought; given the

traumatic (and dramatic) nature of a motor vehicle accident, why don’t

people ‘hate’ cars, lash out at speedsters or drunk drivers. I suppose

it’s easier to take revenge on sharks than on drunk drivers…..

Sharks are in greater danger from us than we are from them. On a

ratio of fatalities, about one million sharks are killed for every one of

us. Remember this, not all fatal shark attacks were due to fatal wounds

inflicted. If a body washes up ashore with only Grade 3 injuries and no

witness reports, it’s nearly impossible for a pathologist to determine if

the cause of death was due to drowning or due to shock. Several shark

bite victims could have survived the bite had they got to land or boat

sooner but the injury inflicted by the bite was debilitating, therefore

not allowing self-rescue in water and therefore they DROWN.

Public Safety MeasuresMeasures that can be implemented by municipal authorities in

high volume swimmer and shark areas are already in place at most

popular beaches and holiday resorts. There is, however; room for

improvement in Southern Africa with the capability of the first

responders – more specifically the lifeguards and local EMS. The

models of preparedness as illustrated by the Hawaii Shark Task

Force as well as the St Lucie County Fire Department in Florida USA

are definitely the benchmark. In Florida there are over 30 miles of

coastline with many good surfing spots to patrol and is currently the

shark attack capital of the world. To optimize the Golden Hour for

these trauma patients they have placed Beach Access Vehicles at the

points of highest volume to serve as an effective link between the

first responders and the local EMS. Because the early movement of

a serious trauma patient prior to stabilization is a delicate process,

these four-wheelers with a trailer for the injured person works very

well to get the bite victim to where he needs to get ASAP – a surgeon.

The initiatives of these task forces have dramatically improved the

outcomes of shark attack victims over the last decade.

PreventionI suppose the best form of prevention would be not to get into the

sea at all but, that’s not practical advice. On the 30th July 1945 the

warship USS Indianapolis went down in the Philipine Sea after being

bombed by the Japanese. The surviving sailors who were floating on

the surface were not survivors for long. They were picked off one by

one by what was believed till recently to be Oceanic White Tips – that

is because these sharks are responsible for most open ocean attacks.

After lengthy and in-depth research new evidence has come to light

that, if not all, several of these sailors perished at the hand (teeth) of

Tiger sharks.


Conventional wisdom backfired at that time for those sailors because it

was interesting to note that in their survival training, they were told to

thrash about in the water and scream at the sight of sharks. Most modern

and experienced shark behaviour experts would strongly discourage such

behaviour. It is better to stay calm and upright in the water if possible.

Those sailors were not ‘eaten alive’ but victims of ‘exploratory bites’ and

eventually drowned, either before or after going into irreversible shock.

Noted for the most destructive teeth of all shark species, the Tiger

Shark’s ‘flesh-ripping curiosity’ led to the demise of several sailors then

and on a smaller scale since then to other hapless victims.

Realistically, apart from never diving alone, here are a few pointers to follow and these guidelines will be more specifically aimed at scuba divers and spear fishermen:

Scuba divers:• Don’t turn your back on any risky specie of shark• Move away from any feeding frenzy or ‘aromatic zone’ i.e.

injured fish, chumming • When on the surface, keep an eye below you, not just where you’re

going• In an impending attack, punch its nose or if a big shark, turn your back for

the cylinder to take most of the blow (if your BC pops, ditch your weights)Spearo’s:• Apply what you can of the abovementioned• Watch your back all the time, especially with fish on your line • Remember you’re a fellow predator and in direct competition to a risky

shark. Larger sharks have delicate hierarchy’s and you don’t even feature on the pecking order

• If you have a fish and a risky shark approaches you, remember what they teach you in an anti-hijacking course – hand it over!

No trophy fish is worth the risk of injury

Gleaned from the accounts of survivors, if you are taken, keep

calm, go for the eyes and gills, do what you can to minimize

tissue shearing and above all, not to drown. For the rest you’re

on your own survival instincts and most importantly – NEVER

GIVE UP!

Closing thoughts

Shark numbers are dramatically being challenged worldwide

by the shark fin industry, indiscriminate fatalities in fishing

nets as a non-intentional by-catch and then there are those

that are deliberately killed out of misplaced fear for what they

could do to mankind in their domain.

As the adage goes, “We can’t protect what we don’t understand”.

This is even more applicable with sharks but unfortunately

there is the emotive aspect to skew the objectivity of public

opinion. To compound matters further, many people probably

aren’t interested in the plight of the sharks. We as scuba divers

are probably the least likely victims, yet our influence as

ambassadors of the oceans and its creatures is quite profound

and more objective.

We therefore need to exercise our influence as much as we

can. I hope this article has given you a better insight to the

‘real’ risks to divers and therefore better perspective of your

place in the shark’s world – not them in ours.

Safe diving…


Photographed by Evert Nel

http://www.dansa.org


Know your sea birds - The Cape Gannet

Know your sea birds:The Cape Gannet

Photographs by Paul Hunter & Cormac McCreesh


During the sardine run, divers, photographers, skippers and marine naturalists scan the horizon seeking out the tell tale plumage and flight of the Cape Gannet. For it is this bird that most often indicates the presence of feeding common dolphin or shoals of sardines.



Name: Morus capensis , formally Sula

capensis , and of the family Sulidae

Identification: They are easily identified by

their large size, black and white plumage and distinctive yellow crown and hind neck. The pale blue bill is pointed with fine serrations near the tip. Juveniles and Immatures are dark brown with a pale bill. Adults are about 84–94 cm (33–37 in) long and have a 171–185 cm (68–73 in) wingspan and weigh roughly 2600g (5.7 lbs).

Know your sea birds - The Cape Gannet QUICK FACTS

Diet Description: Cape Gannets feed on shoaling

pelagic fish such as sardines and pilchards, consuming roughly 300g per day.

Habitat and distribution:The Cape Gannet has the second

most restricted breeding range surpassed only by the Abbott’s booby which breeds exclusively on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Cape Gannets have a slightly wider breeding range, comprising six offshore islands. Three of these (Mercury, Ichaboe

and Possession) are islands off the Namibian coast, two (Bird Island, Lambert’s Bay; Malgas Island, Saldanha Bay) off the west coast, and one (Bird Island, Port Elizabeth) off the east coast of South Africa. Within its normal range Cape Gannets are restricted to the continental shelf, at no more than 100 km from the coast. Occasionally they have been recorded on oceanic waters.



Juvenile gannet at SANCOB rehabilitation centre


QUICK FACTS

Reproduction: Cape Gannets are colonial

breeders. The season begins in August when the pairs form and nests are rebuilt. Nest mounds are built on guano and are unlined. A single blue egg is laid and quickly becomes coated in brown guano.

Most eggs are laid in October. The eggs are incubated for approximately 40 days. Both adults incubate the eggs using the webs of their feet. Both parents care for the chick for 97 days before it goes to sea.

Cape Gannets fledge with just enough fat reserves for them to be able to survive without food for up to ten days. It is during this short time that they have to learn the necessary skills of capturing sufficient food to ensure their survival. In fact, it is during this

period that the mortality rate of the Cape Gannet is at its highest. The many carcasses of brown gannets washed ashore on the beaches near breeding colonies attest to this.

How they are able to dive at high speeds: Depending on the altitude of the attack and on the wing effort during the first phase of the nosedive, gannets hit the water with speeds of 40-120 kilometers per hour. How does the gannet avoid veering off course and tumbling over during the dive and the dangerous moment of penetration? At 100 km/h, a slight gust, one wrong move, or rough seas could seal its fate.

The secret was revealed by slow-motion photography: while diving, the gannet puts itself

into a spin with a deliberate tail movement. The spin increases toward the point of impact as the bird lays back its wings like a figure skater bringing her arms close to her body.

In a fast dive, this movement usually turns the body once or twice around its axis, acting like a gyroscopic stabilizer in a rocket. In the language of physics, the bird is kept on course by the conservation of angular momentum.

This elegant mechanical stabilization notwithstanding, the moment of impact on the water surface is critical because of the powerful forces involved. But the gannet has been well primed by nature for this moment. Its body can stretch into an ideally streamlined spindle.



Any unevenness about the head is eliminated. At the moment of immersion, the gannet draws in its neck slightly so that the pointed beak and the flat top of the head form a straight continuous line with the body, creating a cone which combines low resistance with high stability. The maze of air cells between the skin and the muscles, directly or indirectly connected with the lungs, receive and distribute whatever pressures occur.” (Tributsch 1984: 88-89)

The Beak: “Many species of birds live largely or entirely on fish, and they tend to have long, strong, dagger-like beaks with which to spear their prey. The gannet is a coastal bird that flies over the sea searching for fish, then plummets into the water to spear them. Its beak is a similar shape to that of the kingfisher, which hunts in the same way over fresh water; but perhaps because of the depth and speed of the gannet’s dive, its beak has no external nostrils into which the water might be forced.” (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:150, 155)





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Health & Safety - DAN Bites & Attacks

BITES &ATTACKS

A medical guide to handling interactions with marine creatures.

No matter how careful they are, sooner or later most divers are stung, bitten, punctured or poisoned by a marine animal.

While healthy respect for marine life and the environment generally are protective, accidents occur and serious afflictions may result.

Sharks are commonly thought of as the marine animal most likely to bite or attack, but in truth there are many marine animals that may injure divers.

Creatures such as barracuda, seals, otters and eels — while not normally aggressive — all may react defensively and bite humans.

Shark Avoidance & Attack Prevention.

It’s relatively common for divers to seek out and swim with sharks, but there may be circumstances in which it is preferable to avoid contact altogether. As with so many other scuba situations, prevention is the best solution to most problems. However, there are exceptions, and it’s important to know how to handle the challenge if there’s no option but to interact.

AvoidanceThere are a few things you can

consider before you ever enter the water.

Certain geographic areas may be known to have significant shark populations or a history of documented shark attacks. Sanitation waste outlets, breeding inlets, deep channels and areas with dark or turbid water or drop offs may be areas frequented by larger sharks. No matter the surroundings, swimmers and divers should remain in groups, because isolated humans may be at higher risk for shark attack.

Be aware, too, that shark attacks may occur with higher frequency at dawn and dusk.

Finally, it’s also wise to avoid wearing anything shiny in the water; you don’t want your favorite jewelry mistaken for a fishing lure. This is particularly important to avoid barracuda bites.

By Joseph Becker, M.D. and Paul Auerbach, M.D., M.S.



When you’re in the water, be aware of the presence of natural sources of shark food, such as seals or sea lions. Pinnipeds playing or swimming in the water does not necessarily mean an absence of sharks.

Don’t stay in areas in which blood is flowing freely in the water. If you are injured, exit the water immediately; if you are fishing, killed fish should be removed from the water, or at least isolated from divers in the water, as soon as possible.

Don’t ever try to feed a shark; if done at all, it should be

only by a trained expert.

Barracuda by Stephen Frink

DefenseIt is always unwise to tease or corner a potentially aggressive

marine animal. If you are in the water with sharks, show them

the healthy respect they deserve; most of the time they are

content to share the water column with no fuss whatsoever.

However, if you do find yourself in a situation where there is

concern for attack, continually face the shark and calmly leave

the area with controlled movements. Don’t panic, and avoid

splashing behaviors. Don’t bolt for the surface, either; remain

submerged, and seek cover with posterior protection, such as

a crevice in a coral reef. This allows you a position of defense

without worrying about an attack from behind. Most sharks are

stealth predators, and being able to keep them in your line of

sight is helpful.

If an attack does come, sharks may be repelled by blunt blows

to the head, nose or eyes; these are sensitive areas with a high

density of sensory nerve fibers. Use of weapons such as spear

guns, knives or bang sticks is not recommended, especially by

those untrained in their use. Inappropriate use of a weapon

can cause unnecessary injury to both you and the animal that

threatens you.

There are a variety of products on the market that claim

shark repellent qualities; they may have varying degrees of

effectiveness, but practical application and evaluation have thus

far been limited and, in some cases, inconclusive.



Care of the Bite/Attack Victim

If the unavoidable (or totally unexpected)

occurs, traumatic injuries caused by

marine life can present challenges both

to immediate and longer-term medical

management.

Shark attacks in particular can result in significant trauma and substantial blood loss. Initial focus should be on providing basic life support as necessary, followed by stabilizing the patient for transport to definitive emergency care.

Begin by assisting the victim out of the water. Apply direct pressure to any bleeding sites as quickly as possible. A barrier such as a cloth or gauze pads may be helpful, and gloves should absolutely be worn whenever possible to protect against bloodborne disease.

Do not release pressure to check on the wound for at least 10 minutes, and if a bandage soaks through with blood, place another directly on top of it and continue to hold pressure.

If the injured area is on an extremity, elevate the body part above the level of the heart. It is important not to apply bandages in a fashion that restricts circulation beyond the dressing. The tips of fingers and toes should be pink, not pale or purple.

Almost all bleeding will stop with sustained direct pressure and immobilization; however, some wounds, particularly those involving amputation or damage to large blood vessels, may bleed uncontrollably. In these cases, a tourniquet should be considered.

It is highly recommended that you have training in applying tourniquets before attempting to do so, as tourniquets are potentially hazardous interventions that risk loss of limb.

Nearly anything may be used as a tourniquet: a length of rope, cord or webbing, but it must be well-padded to reduce the risk of severe local tissue injury.

Apply the tourniquet between the heart and the injury as close to the bleeding site as possible. Tighten it only until bleeding is controlled. Loosen tourniquets for a moment every 10 to 15 minutes to assess whether they are still necessary for bleeding control.

Upclose with a shark by Stephen Frink



If the bleeding is brisk, retighten the device. If bleeding has ceased to the degree it can be readily controlled by direct pressure, remove the tourniquet and apply direct pressure, though keep the tourniquet handy in case it needs to be reapplied.

If internal organs or tissues are protruding through an injury, do not attempt to push them back inside the body unless it is absolutely necessary for transport.

All wounds to the chest should be covered with a dressing. Wounds that appear to be bubbling or “sucking” should be covered with a dressing taped and sealed on three sides. The fourth, untaped side serves as a flutter valve that allows air to escape from the chest. Without this flutter valve, air pressure may develop in the space surrounding the lung, preventing lung expansion.

A splint may be used to immobilize an injured extremity to reduce pain, limit blood loss and protect a fractured limb. Aside from ready-made splints, a variety of objects may be used to improvise. Be careful that splints and dressings are not applied too tightly and that circulation to the extremity is not compromised.

If the wound is minor, you may care for it by gently cleansing it with antiseptic solution, a dressing and prophylactic antibiotics, per your physician’s instructions; however, any significant shark bite will likely require expert emergency medical care.

Many divers relish the opportunity to swim and interact with potentially aggressive marine animals.

These interactions are almost uniformly uneventful; careful attention to both personal behavior and the behavior of the animals, as well as respect for the animals, will generally prevent the vast majority of attacks.

However, an awareness of avoidance techniques and injury treatment principles will serve divers well in the rare but potentially deadly instances when injuries do occur.

Stephen Frink


Raffaella Schlegel“Follow your dreams without fear”

Raffa with Bottlenose dolphines in Mexico - Photo by Dietmar Posch


Raffaella Schlegel, You’d be forgiven for thinking Raffaella (or Raffa as

she’s more commonly referred to) as shy and retiring

until, that is, you bring up her favourite subject; sharks.

At the very mention of the word the quiet and reserved

Raffa affects her Italian roots and becomes an animated

and expressive whirlwind of words and gestures. Raffa

loves sharks.

They’re her passion, motivation and devotion.

Born in the Italian town of Castellanza, in the Lombardy

region of northern Italy, Raffa was destined for a career

in fashion design. Being close to Milan was one reason

for the fashion design trajectory but being born into a

family involved in fashion and design was another.

Fashion notwithstanding, Raffa was drawn to water

from an early age.

In t roduc ing

Raffa in Port St Johns for the Sardine Run - Photo by Dietmar Posch


Raffa and Potato Bass - Photo by Dietmar Posch


Competitive swimming drew Raffa

in and she made the Italian National

Junior team when she was 8 years old,

making the National team when she

turned 12. Swimming nurtured Raffa’s

love for water but it also introduced her

to Umberto Pellizari; Umberto being

on the swim team too before focussing

on freediving. Raffa dominated the

butterfly stroke reigning as Italian 100

and 200-metre champion from 1980 to

1989. Chosen to go to the L.A. Olympics,

Raffa missed out because of illness.

On completing her schooling, and at

the urging of her family, Raffa studied

fashion design, and graduated from the

prestigious MA Instituto Marangoni

Milano.

Thus began a successful career in fashion

design that started with sportswear

collections for Arena and Speedo and

a Japanese knitwear collection for

Alessandra Macchi.

Raffa in the swim team

Raffa in Rome

Bottom row on the left : Raffaella is the 3rd child in the row wearing a white T-shirt and hatBottom row on the right: Umberto is the blonde boy standing behind the short little girl in the front row


Various assignments and projects grew

Raffa’s skills and saw her working for, and

on, some of the most prestigious brands in

Europe.

In between building her career in fashion

design Raffa continued to indulge her

passion for water, finding herself being

drawn to diving as a consequence of

going diving with her father. Holidays

and weekends began to be filled with

diving activities and travel. In 1989 Raffa

experienced freediving for the first time,

which culminated in an invitation from her

old pal, Umberto, to join the Italian team for

the World Championships in 2001.

In 2001 Raffa decided to change her life

and follow her passion. She’d always

dreamed of travelling, even eschewing dolls

in favour of a pretend camera as a child.

The catalyst was meeting partner, Dietmar

Posch on a trip to the Red Sea in 2001. At

the time, Austrian, Dietmar was working on

a production on free diver Herbert Nitsch.

Raffa and Dietmar hit it off. Finding a

kindred spirit in Dietmar, Raffa resigned

her fashion design life and commenced

living her dream of travel and diving.

The pair travelled to Mexico to look

at opportunities, but finding none

they headed back to Europe. Fashion

design then became a means of funding

dive travel. In 2004 Raffa and Dietmar

travelled to South Africa where they

dived Gansbaai and Umkomaas. Six

months later the couple were resident

in Umkomaas where they opened their

dive operation Blue Rush, working with

sharks, and where Raffa began taking

underwater photographs.

Raffa found herself living her dream.

Her diving experiences had nurtured

a passion for sharks and large marine

animals and her childhood dreams of

travel had given rise to an interest in

photography.

The timing for starting Blue Rush

coincided with the birth of the shark

diving industry in Umkomaas. Raffa was

the first woman recognised by ASCBOA

(Aliwal Shoal Charter Boat Owners

Association) as a shark guide.

Today, Raffa divides her time between

guiding International and local guests in

shark diving, and taking photographs of

sharks. Her favourite sharks are tigers

and ragged-tooth sharks; tigers because

of their energy and grace and ragged-

tooth sharks for their laid backed style.

She has logged in excess of 2 500 hours

diving with sharks with her longest

shark dive being a ten-hour dive for

the production of Mike Rutzen’s Shark

Night.

Raffa speaks of sharks as her friends.

Her passion for shakes is infectious and

divers love to shark-dive with her. She

often guides boatloads of women, whose

husbands are diving, on snorkel shark

experiences sharing her love of sharks.


Raffa taking photo’s of Blacktip sharks in Aliwal - Photo by Dietmar Posch


Like all shark dive operators Raffa’s mission is to change

people’s perception of sharks.

Having changed her life from one of fashion and design to

shark diver and underwater photographer, Raffa continues

to follow her dreams. She plans to expand her horizons and

work with sharks all over the world: finding new shark

grounds and exploring shark behaviour at existing shark

dive spots ... Guadalupe and the Bahamas are high on her

list.

Exhibiting and showcasing her underwater images of

sharks is Raffa’s current project. Exhibitions are planned

and fine art prints are available for purchase.

Changing your life is a busy task and one Raffa seems to be

enjoying immensely.

Raffaella & Alberto Incanuti at Milan Women’s Fashion Week - Photo by Blue Rush

From left : Mike Rutzen - Raffaella Schlegel - Umberto Pelizzari - Photo by Pierluigi Baldetti


Raffa doing what she loves, spending time taking photo’s of sharks - Photo by Dietmar Posch


Featured Photographer

Ivan van HeerdenIntroducing



I have always been drawn to the sea. A year in Australia in 1988

opened the underwater world to me and I have never looked back.

I graduated from the University of Natal with an Honours degree

in Aquatic Entomology in 1993. Thereafter I restored a classic

wooden yacht and sailed her over to the Caribbean in 1995. For the

next 15 years I was fortunate enough to dive and photograph the

Virgin Islands, the Bahamas as well as places like Fiji, Hawaii and

Guadalupe Island in Mexico. My family and I returned to South

Africa in 2009 and I rediscovered Aliwal Shoal.

My photography really started in early 2001 when I bought a

Sony 3.2 megapixel point and shoot camera with an underwater

housing. While I sometimes wanted to yell, in frustration, due to

the shutter lag it taught me invaluable lessons in composition,

patience and how to approach the subject. Eventually I reached the

limitations of the camera and made the move to a housed DSLR, a

Nikon D100 subsequently replaced by a D200.

I was fortunate to be taught by Mauricio Handler, principle

assistant to David Doubilet for many years as well as a Nat Geo

photographer in his own right. Mauricio’s time and patience were

invaluable and I learnt more each time we travelled together:

from shooting Great Whites in the crystal clear but cold waters of

Guadalupe to the tropical splendour of Fiji. Mauricio likes to push

the limits with light, shutter speed and storytelling and I learned

a great deal from him.

With Aliwal shoal in my backyard I am now focussing on

bringing all that this amazing reef system has to offer to my picture

taking. The shoal rightly deserves its place in the top dive sites of

the world despite its reputation for current, bad viz and rough

launches. Very few places on the planet have the mix of cold and

warm water and the resulting unique ecosystem. Every time you

dive the Shoal there is something new and exciting to see.

Ivan van Heerden

Introducing

Note I use rear curtain sync for all my strobe shots. I use 2 Ikelite ds125’s with manual controllers which in effect give me 16 levels of strobe control.

Cover Picture: Fijian Lion Fish: 1/20s F16 Nikon D200 10.5mm lens I cranked the fstop because I was at 27m and wanted to get the surface in the composition.LeftIvan van Heerden


In telling Aliwal’s story through the camera lens, my hope is to

try to bring the importance of conserving this unique ecosystem

to the fore. Despite being part of one of the first MPA’s in South

Africa it is under daily threat from pollution from Sappi Saicor

and the fact that KZN Sharks Board has indiscriminate gill nets

and drum lines within the MPA is equally worrying. Educating

the public is easiest done through a visual medium.

The next chapter in my photography journey is to become

bubble-less. Re-breathers, in my opinion, are going to open

up a whole new range of sites and photographic opportunities

in South Africa. I can’t wait to do my first 3 hour dive on

Umzimayi Wall!


Manta Head on: Shooting a black and white animal at night was particularly challenging on the exposure front. 1/100s f8 Nikon D100 10.5mm Strobe was set just to pop because of the large amounts of plankton which caused huge backscatter issues.

Swimming Pig: They may not fly but the swimming pigs of Little Majors island in the Bahamas are quite the attraction. 1/500s F13 Nikon D200 12-24mm lens Natural light.

I run personalised photo courses for small groups. For further information please contact me via email on [email protected] Click Here

mailto:mailto:ivan%40dynamicweighsystems.com?subject=ADM%20Featured%20Photographer%20-%20Photography%20course%20information%20%20



Purple Lobed Scorpion Fish: A dismal day on Outer Landers was made good when this guy was found 1/80s F14 iso 125 Nikon D200 60mm Macro.



Fast Shark: Stuart Coves Shark feed in the Bahamas is unlike anything in South Africa. I used the chance to kneel on the sand and play with extremely slow shutter speeds. 1/6s F14 iso 200 Nikon D200 10.5mm Max Strobe power.



Frog Fish: 16 years of searching and one day at Landers you come around the corner and there he sits. I used the fastest flash sync shutter speed to try black out as much of the background as possible so to make him pop out of the picture 1/250 F14 iso 125 Nikon D200 60mm Macro.

Fijian Scorpion: I found this version of our paper fish perched on a soft coral. I lit him from below with a video light and then popped the strobes to fill in some detail 1/30s F32 iso 100 Nikon D200 with 105mm Macro.



Guadalupe Great White: Crystal water clear 60m viz and large heavy metal loving Great Whites. The limitations of the D100 were brought painfully into the fore with the four frame buffer. Still I was pleased with the results. 1/320s F6.3 iso 200 Nikon D100 Natural light.



BVI Shrimp: The British Virgin Islands is where I cut my teeth. I was lucky in that it was the perfect dive environment in which to hone all skills. 1/160s F20 iso 200 Nikon D100 105mm macro.



Fijian Clown: This night dive I used a 2x tele-converter on the 105mm lens so that I could get some distance from my subject so that the fish wouldn’t completely disappear into the anemone. 1/125s F45 iso 100 Nikon D200 with 105mm Macro and 2x tele-converter.



Beautiful Risbecia: These two animals were mating, by using a +2 dioptre on the 60mm lens I was able to make the image full frame. 1/100 F20 Nikon D200 60mm macro +2 wet dioptre.



Triple Fin Blenny: Full Frame Ultra Macro, my favourite thing! These tiny fish live within the polyps of the brain corals and are only seen at night. 1/100s F45 Nikon D200 with 105 macro and 2x tele-converter.

Bahamas Drug Plane: This DC4 crashed on takeoff from Normans Cay in the Bahamas during the 1980’s My wife investigates the residents closely. 1/200s F9 Nikon D200 10.5mm Natural light.



Arrow Crab: Taken on a night dive on a wall in the Bahamas. He was like a deer in the headlights. 1/125s F29 Nikon D200 60mm macro.



Lizards: I managed to sneak up to these two on the floor of Cathedral again the +2 dioptre helped fill the frame. 1/160s F13 Nikon D200 60mm +2 Dioptre.



Gangster Bass: On a greenish(thanks Sappi) day I was photographing a pair of Potato Bass when suddenly I felt my head inhaled. After the heart attack I turned around to see this picture. The Potatoes don’t like anything, Tiger sharks included getting close to the bottom bait bucket! 1/100s F8 Nikon D200 10.5mm with strobes set to lowest power setting.



”...telling Aliwal’s story

through the camera lens, my

hope is to try to bring the

importance of conserving this

unique ecosystem...”

Chikuzen BVI: This 246 Foot derelict refrigeration ship sank 9 miles away from any land on a barren sand plain. It has become a magnet for many fish including large numbers of very feisty greater Barracudas. 1/80s F8 Nikon D100 10.5mm strobe set to lowest power.

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Brown Tang Eye: One of the first photo’s I ever took with my new D100 on a night dive which shows that sometimes luck does play a role! 1/125s F25 D100 105mm macro.



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Documents

African Diver Issue 22