Some snapshots to look at while you wait for more...
This is a selection from more than 800 photos (1.5GB) taken with a Sea&Sea DX8000G, often with 17mm WAL, without using any strobes (meaning some post-processing with Photoshop was indeed necessary).
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Camera performance
Sea&Sea DX8000G
⊕ I'm quite happy with how my three year old Sea&Sea DX8000G (Ricoh Caplio GX8) performed on this trip, taking plenty of pretty snappy shots. Of course, conditions were rather favorable for natural light underwater photography: mostly sunny weather, shallow water, relatively good visibility and plenty of fascinating supermodels. Actually, my subjects cooperated so well, i.e. got so close, my 17mm equivalent WAL often could not frame them.
⊗ If it wasn't for its sub-standard, not to say useless, 320x240 pixel video-clip resolution, I would have no real need to look out for another multi-purpose compact camera.
⊕ Also worth mentioning, is that this camera uses two available-everywhere AA batteries. In my case that means two Ansmann 1.2V 2100mAh max-e NiMH rechargeable batteries. They provided enough power for my camera to be almost always on, even on 2h long dives! Remarkably better than my supposedly more powerful, but unreliable, Sanyo 2500mAh NiMH batteries, which suffer from self-draining, even though not in use.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS5
⊗ I was surprised to see this otherwise nice little camera suffered from shutter-lag, a problem I had not anticipated in a camera this new (Feb.2008), making it useless for action photography.
⊕ Luckily I'd taken it along for its video mode (848x480 pixel @ 30fps) and here it performed as hoped for, that is, not too bad. Except for a rather distracting dust spot in the middle of the sensor/lens, that I was not able to get rid of. Note though that Panasonic did pick-up, fix and return the camera free of charge (it being still within warranty) after we mentioned this annoying issue.
Remarks
• I basically shot in full-automatic mode with both cameras, without use of any strobes or underwater lights.
• I used Sandisk Ultra & Extreme SD(HC) memory cards of various capacities (512KB-8GB) and so far have been satisfied with them.
⊕ I'm quite happy with how my three year old Sea&Sea DX8000G (Ricoh Caplio GX8) performed on this trip, taking plenty of pretty snappy shots. Of course, conditions were rather favorable for natural light underwater photography: mostly sunny weather, shallow water, relatively good visibility and plenty of fascinating supermodels. Actually, my subjects cooperated so well, i.e. got so close, my 17mm equivalent WAL often could not frame them.
⊗ If it wasn't for its sub-standard, not to say useless, 320x240 pixel video-clip resolution, I would have no real need to look out for another multi-purpose compact camera.
⊕ Also worth mentioning, is that this camera uses two available-everywhere AA batteries. In my case that means two Ansmann 1.2V 2100mAh max-e NiMH rechargeable batteries. They provided enough power for my camera to be almost always on, even on 2h long dives! Remarkably better than my supposedly more powerful, but unreliable, Sanyo 2500mAh NiMH batteries, which suffer from self-draining, even though not in use.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS5
⊗ I was surprised to see this otherwise nice little camera suffered from shutter-lag, a problem I had not anticipated in a camera this new (Feb.2008), making it useless for action photography.
⊕ Luckily I'd taken it along for its video mode (848x480 pixel @ 30fps) and here it performed as hoped for, that is, not too bad. Except for a rather distracting dust spot in the middle of the sensor/lens, that I was not able to get rid of. Note though that Panasonic did pick-up, fix and return the camera free of charge (it being still within warranty) after we mentioned this annoying issue.
Remarks
• I basically shot in full-automatic mode with both cameras, without use of any strobes or underwater lights.
• I used Sandisk Ultra & Extreme SD(HC) memory cards of various capacities (512KB-8GB) and so far have been satisfied with them.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
thin air - Sonthofen
Uncomfortable & sleepless nine hour flight, with a choice of tasteless food and on-demand movies to pass away time. Except for a bit of a jam at immigration, no hassles getting through, pick up my luggage and step onto a train (19€) to Sonthofen via München and Buchloe, all in all another 3½h ride.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Palm Beach - thin air
Taxi (32$) from my Super 8 Riviera Beach motel to West Palm Beach's international airport, an uneventful 20' ride. Check-in's surprisingly fast & easy. At security however, I'm told I've been selected by the airline for a special security search (as indicated by a 'ssss' note on my boarding pass), meaning I get air blown all over me in a sniffing cabin, get to walk shoe- & beltless through a metal detector and am allowed to watch & answer any questions while my backpack, after being x-rayed, also gets thoroughly hand searched & machine analyzed for explosives. I guess from their point of view, anybody voluntarily diving with sharks must be suicidal?
One and a half hour Delta flight from Palm Beach to Atlanta, in time for a five hour long wait until my connecting flight towards Munich.
One and a half hour Delta flight from Palm Beach to Atlanta, in time for a five hour long wait until my connecting flight towards Munich.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Dry day
After yesterday's ultimate dive, we smoothly sailed away from Grand Bahama back to Palm Beach. Awakening in time to get cleared by US immigration, before disembarking at JASA's new dock in the Lake Park Marina. From there it's just a short taxi ride (15$) to the Super 8 motel in Riviera Beach. Lazy off-gas afternoon waiting for my gear to dry before packing it all up for tomorrow's voyage home.
Plenty of time for some reflections:
∅ The M/V Shear Water is a relatively small live-aboard, with very limited space & rather cramped sleeping quarters. But then, you're not supposed to be on board that much...
⊗ Due to its size & construction, the ship's prone to some rock & roll. Four of us, out of nine, got sea-sick during the crossing over from Palm Beach to Grand Bahama, even though the sea wasn't that rough. Of these four, three had a berth in the ship's bow.
⊗ The ship's AC is freezing cold, as in 19°C down in the cabins. Too cold for the thin blanket to be of any comfort.
⊗ 100$ for 7 nitrox fills is at least twice too much, meaning you actually get penalized for playing safe.
⊗ Nobody had told us of a possible fuel surcharge, in our case: 175$.
⊕ Jim's a very engaging & entertaining man, his crew friendly & ever helpful. Hard working professionals I would trust again.
⊕ The dives require a high degree of awareness, but certainly are exciting, as you can hopefully tell from my previous blog entries.
In short, yes, I'd love to be among sharks again as soon as possible :o) and with nobody else but Jim Abernethy, on board his Shear Water.
Plenty of time for some reflections:
∅ The M/V Shear Water is a relatively small live-aboard, with very limited space & rather cramped sleeping quarters. But then, you're not supposed to be on board that much...
⊗ Due to its size & construction, the ship's prone to some rock & roll. Four of us, out of nine, got sea-sick during the crossing over from Palm Beach to Grand Bahama, even though the sea wasn't that rough. Of these four, three had a berth in the ship's bow.
⊗ The ship's AC is freezing cold, as in 19°C down in the cabins. Too cold for the thin blanket to be of any comfort.
⊗ 100$ for 7 nitrox fills is at least twice too much, meaning you actually get penalized for playing safe.
⊗ Nobody had told us of a possible fuel surcharge, in our case: 175$.
⊕ Jim's a very engaging & entertaining man, his crew friendly & ever helpful. Hard working professionals I would trust again.
⊕ The dives require a high degree of awareness, but certainly are exciting, as you can hopefully tell from my previous blog entries.
In short, yes, I'd love to be among sharks again as soon as possible :o) and with nobody else but Jim Abernethy, on board his Shear Water.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Tigers!
Dive #13 [ 09:22 | EAN34 | 61' | max.17m, avg.15m | viz<10m | 25°C ]
Dive #14 [ 11:47 | EAN34 | 75' | max.15m, avg.14m | viz<10m | 26°C ]
Dive #15 [ 15:38 | EAN36 | 54' | max.15m, avg.13m | viz<10m | 26°C ]
This being the final dip of the trip, with only three of us in the water beside Jim, he just dropped the bait crates to the bottom, cut them open and laid out the morsels... At first only a few caribbean reef sharks zoomed in to gorge on the free pieces of fish, soon followed by a lone lemon shark. That is, until the tiger sharks came in en masse!
Jim actually counted nine of them, including Emma, who with her 4m was the smaller one of the party. Personally, I saw up to five tiger sharks within my eyes-wide-open field of vision. Whow!!!
Dive #14 [ 11:47 | EAN34 | 75' | max.15m, avg.14m | viz<10m | 26°C ]
Dive #15 [ 15:38 | EAN36 | 54' | max.15m, avg.13m | viz<10m | 26°C ]
This being the final dip of the trip, with only three of us in the water beside Jim, he just dropped the bait crates to the bottom, cut them open and laid out the morsels... At first only a few caribbean reef sharks zoomed in to gorge on the free pieces of fish, soon followed by a lone lemon shark. That is, until the tiger sharks came in en masse!
Jim actually counted nine of them, including Emma, who with her 4m was the smaller one of the party. Personally, I saw up to five tiger sharks within my eyes-wide-open field of vision. Whow!!!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Dolphins?
Dive #12 [ 08:15 | AIR | 120' | avg.4m | viz>10m | 25°C ]
First in, last out, for another two watchful hours in the company of lemons, tigers and a bull.
We spent the afternoon looking for dolphins, but either they weren't anywhere near their usual hang out, or they didn't feel like showing up for some mingling with shark loving humans.
First in, last out, for another two watchful hours in the company of lemons, tigers and a bull.
We spent the afternoon looking for dolphins, but either they weren't anywhere near their usual hang out, or they didn't feel like showing up for some mingling with shark loving humans.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Action!
Dive #10 [ 09:39 | AIR | 122' | avg.4m | viz.10m | 27°C ]
Dive #11 [ 13:26 | AIR | 126' | avg.5m | viz>10m | 27°C ]
The usual suspects: Twenty something lemon sharks and at least three fairly large & one relatively small tiger shark sniffing around in the sand. Special guest today, is a rather suspicious looking bull shark (2–2½m), keeping a safe distance.
According to Jim though, there were likely nine tiger sharks in our neighborhood and three different bull sharks! As usual, Jim stood in the middle of the action, shaking bait crates to stir up a bit more attention from sharks and tourists.
Dive #11 [ 13:26 | AIR | 126' | avg.5m | viz>10m | 27°C ]
The usual suspects: Twenty something lemon sharks and at least three fairly large & one relatively small tiger shark sniffing around in the sand. Special guest today, is a rather suspicious looking bull shark (2–2½m), keeping a safe distance.
According to Jim though, there were likely nine tiger sharks in our neighborhood and three different bull sharks! As usual, Jim stood in the middle of the action, shaking bait crates to stir up a bit more attention from sharks and tourists.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Emma
Dive #7 [ 09:12 | AIR | 77' | avg.5m | viz.10m | 27°C ]
Fantastic dive with plenty of lemon sharks swimming by real close! And at least three tiger sharks paid us a courtesy visit, one of them 4m Emma. She's a real big-eyed beauty :o) Can't let her out of your sight though, unless of course you like being bumped into.
Dive #8 [ 11:33 | AIR | 79' | avg.5m | viz.5m | 26°C ]
Dive #9 [ 15:55 | AIR | 50' | avg.5m | viz.5m | 24°C ]
Fantastic dive with plenty of lemon sharks swimming by real close! And at least three tiger sharks paid us a courtesy visit, one of them 4m Emma. She's a real big-eyed beauty :o) Can't let her out of your sight though, unless of course you like being bumped into.
Dive #8 [ 11:33 | AIR | 79' | avg.5m | viz.5m | 26°C ]
Dive #9 [ 15:55 | AIR | 50' | avg.5m | viz.5m | 24°C ]
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Lemonade
Dive #6 [ 08:23 | AIR | 99' | avg.6m | viz<15m | 27°C | ☼ ]
Double shift with more than a dozen lemon sharks (2–2½m) slowly cruising around & between us.
Lazy sharkless afternoon due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Double shift with more than a dozen lemon sharks (2–2½m) slowly cruising around & between us.
Lazy sharkless afternoon due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sharks!
Dive #2 [ 08:34 | EAN32 | 51' | max.18m, avg.15m | viz>15m | 26°C ]
Dive #3 [ 10:41 | EAN34 | 44' | max.18m, avg.14m | 27°C ]
Dive #4 [ 13:34 | EAN35 | 63' | max.16m, avg.14m | 27°C ]
Three thrilling dives with a gang of caribbean reef sharks (1½–2m) and two tiger sharks (3–3½m) passing by fairly close several times. Pretty cool beasts indeed!
Dive #5 [ 16:24 | AIR | 45' | avg.5m | 26°C ]
Late afternoon dive on a shallow sandy bottom together with about twenty lemon sharks (2–2½m). What a wonderful experience!
Note that whereas the sharks here are still doing relatively fine, despite plenty of sport-fishing wounds, the same can not be said from their relatives in other parts of the world, as documented by Rob Stewart in his disturbing movie "Sharkwater", a revolting must see :o(
Dive #3 [ 10:41 | EAN34 | 44' | max.18m, avg.14m | 27°C ]
Dive #4 [ 13:34 | EAN35 | 63' | max.16m, avg.14m | 27°C ]
Three thrilling dives with a gang of caribbean reef sharks (1½–2m) and two tiger sharks (3–3½m) passing by fairly close several times. Pretty cool beasts indeed!
Dive #5 [ 16:24 | AIR | 45' | avg.5m | 26°C ]
Late afternoon dive on a shallow sandy bottom together with about twenty lemon sharks (2–2½m). What a wonderful experience!
Note that whereas the sharks here are still doing relatively fine, despite plenty of sport-fishing wounds, the same can not be said from their relatives in other parts of the world, as documented by Rob Stewart in his disturbing movie "Sharkwater", a revolting must see :o(
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Grand Bahama
Sometime after midnight we rock & roll from Palm Beach to Grand Bahama, arriving there around 9:30 am. Having watched the sunrise from the aft deck, I can't say the sea was particularly rough, but the M/V Shear Water sure made it feel like it, robbing several of us from a good night's sleep.
Bahamian immigration formalities handled for us by the crew, we get on our way again while Jim thoroughly briefs us about diving with sharks: what to expect, how to behave, etc. Several hours later, we're all pretty anxious to get in the water.
Dive #1 [ 14:45 | EAN33 | 45' | max.21m, avg.14m | viz<10m | 29°C ]
Check-out dive with a dozen caribbean reef sharks (1½–2m), cruising around the bait crates, often swimming by pretty close :o) For our well-being, we're all equipped with a sturdy 1m length of PVC tubing, to prevent them from getting too personal on our first encounter.
This being the initial dive of the trip, I did not bring any camera yet, just the empty new housing, to test its waterproofness, concentrating in stead on getting myself & my scuba gear tuned as necessary.
Despite 29°C warm water, a 7mm wetsuit and 2mm hooded vest, I got cold after only 30' due to lack of sleep and undernourishment in the last 24h. Reason enough to skip the second dive of the day.
Bahamian immigration formalities handled for us by the crew, we get on our way again while Jim thoroughly briefs us about diving with sharks: what to expect, how to behave, etc. Several hours later, we're all pretty anxious to get in the water.
Dive #1 [ 14:45 | EAN33 | 45' | max.21m, avg.14m | viz<10m | 29°C ]
Check-out dive with a dozen caribbean reef sharks (1½–2m), cruising around the bait crates, often swimming by pretty close :o) For our well-being, we're all equipped with a sturdy 1m length of PVC tubing, to prevent them from getting too personal on our first encounter.
This being the initial dive of the trip, I did not bring any camera yet, just the empty new housing, to test its waterproofness, concentrating in stead on getting myself & my scuba gear tuned as necessary.
Despite 29°C warm water, a 7mm wetsuit and 2mm hooded vest, I got cold after only 30' due to lack of sleep and undernourishment in the last 24h. Reason enough to skip the second dive of the day.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Boarding day
Overcast & rainy morning, spent preparing my cameras. After a quick hamburger lunch (14$) at Denny's, a road side restaurant right next to my Super 8 motel, and a slow afternoon spent in the motel's lobby, I take a taxi (15$) to Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures, located in the New Port Cove Marine Center, just a 10' ride away.
Once there, I immediately unpack and set up my dive gear, as space on the ship is so limited that non-foldable bags can't be stowed anywhere on board. Some more paperwork & money business later (Bahamas tourist tax: 60$, Fuel surcharge: 175$, Nitrox: 100$), I get assigned one of the six bunk beds in the ship's bow. Besides these, there are also three small cabins with two berths each.
Soon, everybody's there: four American crew members and eight German divers, besides my Belgian self. Shark diving trips are always led by Jim himself. Assisting him this week are Ed, second captain & dive master, Zach, third captain & dive master, and Wade, the cook. After an extended boat briefing by Wade, most of us call it a day. Tonight we'll be crossing over to the Bahamas!
Once there, I immediately unpack and set up my dive gear, as space on the ship is so limited that non-foldable bags can't be stowed anywhere on board. Some more paperwork & money business later (Bahamas tourist tax: 60$, Fuel surcharge: 175$, Nitrox: 100$), I get assigned one of the six bunk beds in the ship's bow. Besides these, there are also three small cabins with two berths each.
Soon, everybody's there: four American crew members and eight German divers, besides my Belgian self. Shark diving trips are always led by Jim himself. Assisting him this week are Ed, second captain & dive master, Zach, third captain & dive master, and Wade, the cook. After an extended boat briefing by Wade, most of us call it a day. Tonight we'll be crossing over to the Bahamas!
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