Five Great Night Dive Experiences

Just as on land, where the nocturnal world is quite different from the daytime one, so too does a new environment appear underwater after dark. Even your most regular dive spot becomes mysterious at night.  But what makes a night dive so different from a daytime dive? Here are five great night dive experiences you can only have after the sun goes down. 

Bioluminescence

Bioluminescence is one of the ocean’s most magical night dive experiences. The phenomenon — the production of light by a living organism — looks like suspended fairy lights underwater. Though it’s possible to see bioluminescence on land, it’s most common underwater thanks to the many vertebrates and invertebrates in the ocean. Many deep-sea creatures use it as a defense or to lure prey, but the simplest way to experience bioluminescence as a diver is via the tiny plankton in the ocean that glow when set in motion. Simply cover you light and wave your hand through the water to create a magic light show.

Sleeping sea creatures

When nocturnal animals awaken on the reef, daylight creatures go to sleep. Lucky night divers might spy a sleeping turtle — do not disturb — and lots of reef fish in a deeply relaxed state. Scientists are still researching the nature of fish sleep, as many animals only rest and maintain awareness of predators. On a reef you’ll see many tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the coral providing them shelter and protection for the night. Parrotfish actually secrete a protective mucus bubble around themselves or across the entrance to their hiding spots in the reef to ward of predators or parasites while they rest. If you’re diving early in the morning, watch for discarded mucus bags, floating in the water like snot.

Special note: As every good diver knows, you should never touch marine life. This is even more important at night, so never touch sleeping animals or shine your torch on one for too long.

Coral

Coral reefs are spectacular during the day, but they’ll wow you at night as well. As light is filtered out, colors become muted the deeper we go. But at night, your light source is much closer — the torch in your hand. In that concentrated light, colors will appear much more vivid than during the day. In addition, colorful coral polyps open up at night to feed on nutrients in the ocean, so pause on your next night dive and give the coral a good look.

Manta rays

There are several spots around the world where you can do night dives with mantas. Lucky divers will see large feeding aggregations of dozens of mantas, unfolding like a nighttime ballet. These majestic animals swoop and fly, feeding on the plankton and small creatures that are drawn to the light of divers’ torches or the dive-boat lights. La Paz, Mexico; Raja Ampat, Indonesia; and Kona, Hawaii are some of the most famous spots for these encounters.

Enhanced perception

At night everything is different, even our perception. Not only does the darkness alter your sense of what’s around you, but it also enhances things like your perception of sound. Popular sites are usually far quieter at night, with fewer boat engines and less diver activity.  Through this quiet, you start to notice natural sounds become amplified, such as the crackling and popping sounds that are far more pronounced than during the day. Various marine creatures produce the sound when they eat algae or coral polyps off the reef, combined with the sound of small shrimp snapping their claws. Keep your ears open during your night dives and you’ll hear a whole new world.

 

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Training Fundamentals: Flaws in the Buddy System

The buddy system has been a cornerstone of recreational diving since its inception. Across the globe, instructors are training new open-water divers to make pre-dive safety checks in buddy pairs, practice descents and ascents in buddy pairs and learn their initial air-sharing skills in buddy pairs. This system has evolved thusly for many reasons, but are there flaws in the buddy system? And how do we mitigate them? First, the three most-often stated reasons for the current system are logistics, safety and fun:

Logistics

For many divers, particularly novices, having a buddy to help put on or remove your scuba gear is invaluable. If a diver is struggling with a particular clip, release or awkward fin, a buddy can be very useful. Although an experienced diver may not need that assistance, those interactions can help keep a novice diver calm and confident before a dive when they may otherwise become flustered.

Safety

The buddy system began in an era of less-reliable scuba equipment. Modern scuba equipment, however, is extremely reliable when well-maintained, which removes some of the ‘safety’ consideration. But even taking that into account, a traditional single-cylinder recreational scuba set-up still has no redundancy. If, for example, a diver’s regulator fails or free-flows at depth, they must be able to rely on their buddy.

Similarly, if the diver has not monitored his gas consumption properly, he must rely on his buddy to share air. Finally, having an extra pair of eyes and ears can help nip a problem in the bud before it’s become something more serious. The buddy may notice problems before the diver himself — an unclipped reel or unsecured alternate-air source — and can help prevent more serious consequences.

Fun

We’re social animals and sharing an experience like scuba diving is part of the sport’s draw. After a great dive on a wreck or reef, the buzz can be palpable. Diving with a buddy allows you to experience something special as part of a group and that spirit of camaraderie is one of the attractions of a great diving trip.

Flaws in the buddy system

As with most organizational systems, the buddy system has benefits and drawbacks. Ironically, the benefits of the buddy system listed above may also, inadvertently, become its flaws:

The unknown quantity

Dive guides, divemasters and instructors at many resorts are employed as guides who simply brief and lead dives. They are not there to retrain divers or act as their buddy. Therefore, if you’re traveling alone, the person who becomes your buddy for the dive is an unknown quantity.

While most resorts try to group divers of similar qualification and experience together when possible, there is no guarantee. However, you may find yourself buddied with someone who has vastly different skills and experience. It’s impossible to know if your new buddy has the same style of diving as you or how responsible they are. Will they disappear in the other direction with a camera? Are you confident to potentially put your life in this person’s hands? Dive qualification is not a guarantee of skill level. Do they have the same commitment to safety as you do? Will they be able to assist you in an emergency?

Tip:

If you’re paired with a new buddy, discuss how you prefer to dive and undertake a thorough buddy check before entering the water. Understand their equipment configuration, controls and weight system, and ensure they understand yours. Discuss your alternate-air-source configuration and air-sharing procedures before the dive. Let them know where you prefer to position yourself in-water in relation to them and how fast you move when diving. Point out any peculiarities of your diving style or requirements. For example, if you have sensitive ears and must descend slowly using a descent line, let them know.

Disparity in buddy pairs

When a buddy pair is mismatched in qualification, experience, attentiveness or skill level, it can be a drawback for both people.

The less-experienced diver may feel intimidated by diving with a more-skilled diver, embarrassed to potentially compromise their buddy’s dive, or find themselves diving outside their comfort zone, in terms of physical fitness, depth, or skill level.

Photographers or videographers are often — unknowingly — some of the worst buddies, filming the whole dive with a camera on a stick, as opposed to maintaining spatial and buddy awareness. They can be less likely to pay attention, keep in contact, monitor their own gas consumption and no-decompression limits, or have the free hands to help in the event of a problem.

Experienced divers may feel aggrieved that they’ve paid for a dive trip, only to become an unpaid dive leader to a less-experienced buddy. They may resent the feeling that they must ‘hand-hold’ the novice both above and below the surface. Their dive may also be shorter due to the novice’s increased gas consumption or lack of skills. They may also lack confidence that a less-skilled buddy could assist in the event of an emergency.

This can create a problem even when the divers know each other well on land. Imagine a husband and wife buddy pair in which the wife is highly skilled and predominantly looks after her less-experienced novice diver husband in-water. This is potentially compromising if the wife has a problem, leaving her husband ill-equipped to deal with an emergency. Typical warning signs of this phenomenon are when one member of the buddy team undertakes all the dive planning, navigation and management. This behavior stunts the scuba growth of the passive buddy, turning the dominant buddy into crutch.

Tip:

The buddy system is most effective when both divers have relatively equal skills and experience. They can share responsibilities and enjoy a mutual trust. If the incongruence is too great, one will become the dominant buddy while the other becomes a burden. Speak with your dive buddy. Share roles and responsibilities. Make sure you feel comfortable with the person you’re diving with. If you’re less experienced, skilled, out-of-practice or lack fitness, book suitable dives. Keep your skills fresh, try to maintain or rebuild fitness and — if you can’t — consider booking a private guide to give you the attention you require.

The solution

There is no clear-cut solution to some of the flaws in the buddy system. Is two the optimum number? Should you train to become a solo diver? Some say that three is a better number for a buddy team. This is because it creates a voting platform for decision-making and adds an extra pair of eyes.

Regardless of buddy-team size, train to be a better diver and better buddy. Keep your skills fresh. Maintain your fitness. Improve your skill level and, potentially, train to become more self-reliant diver. The skills you learn on a self-reliant or solo-diver course will serve you well as a dive buddy. Discuss key safety skills and procedures with the people you plan to dive with and share responsibilities. Doing so means that you can focus less on logistics and more on the dive itself.

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Self-Care A-Z: Shower Doors, Starting Somewhere, and Spring Cleaning

I invite you to accept a 30-day decluttering challenge for April. If “Spring Cleaning” isn’t your thing, just (re)start somewhere with your self-care. Maybe your shower door has a message?

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Safe Behavior Around Sharks

Whether or not you’ve ever seen a shark on a dive and if you were “scared” are some of the most common questions scuba divers hear. To see a shark is an increasingly rare pleasure and privilege; the fishing industry kills an estimated 100 million sharks every year. Fins from up to 73 million animals become part of shark-fin soup. Overfishing has decimated some shark populations by up to 98 percent in the past 15 years, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers almost 1/3 of pelagic shark species threatened.

And yet, the media still often wrongly maligns these magnificent animals. Misinformation, hyperbole and sensationalism are common currency, describing sharks as dangerous eating machines. In reality, leaving aside baited shark dives, they’re reserved and cautious when near divers. The risk of harm from a shark encounter is statistically tiny, but these are apex predators and thusly, divers should treat them with respect.

If you’re lucky enough to dive with sharks you can minimize your risks by practicing safe behavior around sharks. Here are our top tips for safe and enjoyable interactions.

Choose a responsible dive operator and buddy

Not all dive centers and dive buddies are created equal. If you’re diving somewhere with lots of potential shark encounters, choose a reputable and environmentally-focused dive operator. Investigate online. Look for positive reviews. Ask friends and colleagues who may have dived in the area.

Many operators adhere to strict best-practice codes to ensure the safety of environment, animals and the divers. Guides and divers should not aggravate or mistreat the shark during the encounter. Similarly, dive with a buddy you know and trust to behave well beneath the surface, both towards the animals and you.

Understand the environment

To have a successful shark encounter, first you must have a successful dive. Research and be comfortable with the dive environment. Be proficient with the dive’s conditions, whether that’s the water temperature, currents, visibility or equipment configuration.

Also, don’t dive in an environment or location where a shark is likely to mistake you for prey. If you’re diving in the center of a seal colony that’s the main prey of local sharks, you’re putting yourself at risk of being mistaken for a food source. Respect the environment and the shark’s territory and choose an alternative site when appropriate.

Time your dive

Dawn and dusk are prime hunting time for many types of sharks. There is likely to be more shark activity on a dive, but, conversely, a greater potential risk as they search for prey at those times of the day. Similarly, try to avoid shallow murky water. Bull sharks, in particular, hunt in these conditions and, if the shark cannot see the diver clearly — and vice versa — the risk of an accidental shark attack increases.

Enter and exit quietly and respectfully

This may seem a strange tip in a sport where you can’t even speak beneath the surface. However, creating minimal disruption to the shark’s usual environment leaves you more likely to observe their natural behavior and reduces any potential risk to yourself. Enter the water gently. Use steps or a seated entry where possible, avoiding the usual crashing giant stride. If a giant stride is your only option, you can opt for a negative entry and immediately leave the surface.

In that vein, try to limit your time on the surface in general. Many predatory sharks feed on dead animals or animals in distress at the surface. Similarly, some sharks prey on animals that spend extended time at the surface, such as seals — hence the penchant some larger sharks have for surfers.

At the end of your dive try, when possible, to ascend and board the boat directly. Avoid long surface swims and don’t make unnecessary noise or splashes.

Smooth and subtle beneath the waves

Move slowly and steadily beneath the surface. Relax your breathing and don’t approach or, worse, chase the shark. This will likely startle the animal and may provoke a defensive reaction.

Many diving experts recommend staying close the reef wall or seabed to avoid leaving yourself exposed. This habit has two advantages. First, a shark cannot startle you by sneaking up behind you outside of your field of vision – many sharks are ambush predators. Second, this helps ensure that a current doesn’t pull you out into the blue and separate you from the dive group.

 

Safety in numbers – but not too many

Dive in a group to ensure that there are always eyes not only looking for sharks but also monitoring the sharks’ and divers’ behavior. However, try not to dive in too large a group. Some sharks may perceive a large group of divers in close proximity as a single, large animal and a correspondingly greater threat. If you become separated from your buddy or group, rejoin your group — or any group — as soon as possible.

Subtle interaction

Consider yourself a respectful visitor to the shark’s environment. This is not a zoo — although you should be respectful there too, should you choose to visit one. The idea is to blend into the reef wall or seabed and observe the shark with minimal disturbance. In addition to entering and leaving the water quietly, try not to wear items that will mark you out to the shark. While there’s no definitive evidence that “yum-yum-yellow” wetsuit trim or fins attract sharks, it’s nonetheless best to avoid brightly colored wetsuits and jewelry as they may mimic the flashing of brightly colored prey.

Also, never “eyeball” the shark or flash your camera in its face, as this may aggravate it. There have also been reports that the whining of a flash re-charging attracts the animals quite close. Dive guides sometimes crackle a plastic bottle underwater by crushing and twisting it to create vibrations but note that this can sometimes stimulate feeding behavior. Humming gently may also make sharks more inquisitive and likely to swim by.

Learn shark behavior

Do your homework. Research the behavior of sharks in your environment. Read reputable articles specific to the species. Speak with local experts and guides. Sharks generally move slowly and steadily, conserving energy. They are highly evolved, intelligent animals that will display warning signals if they feel threatened by a diver’s presence. If the shark illustrates a sudden behavioral change, this is a warning. Dropped pectoral fins, a gaping mouth, an arched back and increased speed are all signs to move close to the reef wall or seabed and, potentially, abort the dive.

Don’t forget the basics

Seeing a shark, or any other large pelagic animal, doesn’t change the laws of physics. Don’t let your camera distract you. Stay with your buddy. Keep a close eye on your gas consumption, no-decompression limits, depth and ascent rate. Keep your cool.

Diving with sharks is a wonderful, humbling and beautiful experience. If done correctly, you’ll minimize the risk to yourself, your buddies and the environment and get the chance to observe these beautiful creatures respectfully at relatively close quarters.

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Social Workers: Three Key “Powers” We Develop

Social workers are often called upon to “use our powers.” People may say we're super heroes. I’ll confess: these powers are honed social work skills, and we can all develop them. To the untrained eye, they look miraculous.

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Reflections With a Forecast: Social Workers Must Take the Lead in Achieving Equality for All

NASW vice president Mit Joyner calls on all social workers to lead the change our nation seeks. Collectively, she writes, all social workers will bend forcefully and without apology the arc of justice toward equality for all.

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MLK Day Conversation

Rich Kenney recalls a conversation about MLK Day among four teenagers in a van. It's the kind of conversation you might hear any day of the year if you're a social worker.

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Threats Facing Sea Turtle Populations

It’s common to see turtles on dives, but many divers don’t know about the threats facing sea turtle populations around the world.

Threats facing sea turtle populations globally

Sea turtles are high on the list of marine animals we want to see while diving. Although the status of marine-turtle populations varies from country to country, they are generally considered to be declining globally despite successful local conservation efforts in many countries.

Sea turtles face threats both in the water and on land. The top five threats to turtles as identified by the IUCN are:

1. Fisheries impacts: Sea turtles die every year from accidental entanglement in active and derelict fishing nets. We deprive them of habitat by trawling and they lose their food source because of disruptions in the food web.

2. Direct take: Human beings kill sea turtles for food and shells. Their eggs are poached by human and animal predators.

3. Coastal development: Beach degradation, seafloor dredging, vessel traffic, and loss of natural vegetation all destroy and disturb sea-turtle nesting habitats. Brightly lit beachfront homes disrupt nesting behavior and hatchling orientation contributing to hatchling deaths.

4. Pollution and disease: Sea turtles ingest and become entangled in plastics, discarded fishing gear, and petroleum byproducts. Chemical pollutants weaken sea turtles’ immune systems, making them susceptible to disease.

5. Global warming: The natural, temperature determined, sex ratios of hatchlings are becoming skewed by global-temperature increases. A predicted increase in extreme weather events will result in loss of nesting beaches and other critical sea turtle habitats.

What you can do to help

• Do not purchase souvenirs made from turtle products, corals or any threatened or endangered species. CITES and many national laws protect turtles.

• While traveling, choose resorts and tour operators that properly treat all sewage and wastewater and dispose of trash correctly.

• Stop eating seafood. If you must, choose animals caught or harvested from verifiably sustainable fish populations. And never eat animals that have been farmed or caught using destructive or unsustainable practices, including poisons, explosives or illegal equipment.

• Participate in regular cleanup efforts and remove debris you find during a dive that could entangle or choke a sea turtle.

• Report any activity you deem harmful to sea turtle populations to the appropriate authorities.

• Be aware of your actions when viewing nesting or hatching sea turtles.

• Assist scientific research and improve resource management by reporting your sightings to conservation organizations. Support international, national and regional legislation that advocates for increased sea-turtle protection. 

How to dive responsibly with turtles

• Do not touch, handle, feed, harass or ride a turtle. These actions stress the animal, interrupt natural feeding and mating behavior and may provoke aggressive behavior in non-aggressive species.

• Give the turtle space to move away. Do not restrict its normal movement or direction of travel. You can drown the turtles if you prevent them from reaching the surface to breathe.

• Know local regulations and protocols regarding your behavior around turtles before entering the water. These are designed to ensure the animal’s well-being.

• When taking photos, maintain distance between you and the turtle, and don’t interfere with its natural behavior and environment. Passive observation means that you take photos or videos in a way that won’t frighten or otherwise disturb the turtle. Do not use flash photography or videography, as these stress the turtle and will cause it to move away.

• Watch out for turtles when boating. If a boat strikes a turtle it will likely cause injury or death.

Sea Turtle Awareness specialty course

Find a dive shop that offers the Project AWARE Sea Turtle Awareness specialty. This course is for Open Water Divers age 10 and older. The course offers knowledge development, two open-water dives and basic sea-turtle identification and conservation information. During your dives you’ll identify and monitor turtles, as well as remove harmful debris.

Correctly identifying a sea turtle allows you to record sightings with conservation groups and help provide vital information about that turtle and where you saw it. You’ll also learn about the decline in sea turtle populations, the importance of sea turtles to marine biodiversity, and what you can do to reduce sea-turtle threats worldwide.

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Mother's Day Rocks - Maximize Your Beauty Business

In North America Mother’s Day is one of the biggest “gift giving” holidays of the year. Salons and spas are perfect businesses to benefit from a Mother’s Day promotion that translates services and retail products into great Mother’s Day salon or spa packages. Remind consumers that gift cards, service packages and pampering retail products make memorable gifts for moms, grandmothers, aunts, wives and daughters.

Marketing studies tell us that Mother's Day spending peaks in the week between the 5th and the 12th of May so make sure to implement your Mother's Day campaign as soon as possible. Make this year’s Mother’s Day the most successful one yet, attract the right consumers to your salon for their gift-giving needs.

TIP #1 Cover All Budget Types
Divide up your service and product selections for all budgets, provide package options in different amounts to cover all budgets types.

TIP # 2 Think MEN
Remember that men purchase a significant portion of Mother’s Day gifts overall, put your Mother’s Day campaign in the windows in the form of posters to get walk-by traffic to walk-in. Market directly to men with a “stressed to the max wife” Mother’s Day hair or spa package.

TIP #3 Promote Everywhere
Promote your salon or spa Mother’s Day specials on all marketing channels including social media, website, and “in-store”.
1) Update website homepage slideshow to include image of Mother’s Day promotion
2) Post Mother’s Day promotion on all social media channels.
3) Create Mother’s Day promotional signage for windows and mirror talkers for individual stations.
4) Create scripts for staff to help them start the conversation about Mother’s Day behind the chair or at the point of purchase.

TIP #4 Gift Cards
Did you know that the most popular time for Mother's Day gift card sales is Mother's Day “eve”? Make sure it’s easy to purchase gift certificates in person and from your website. You should have both print and email delivery options available. Gift cards can be a big money making opportunity for salons if panicked gift givers can access your salon’s website and purchase a thoughtful gift for their loved one. 

TIP #5 Mother’s Day Email
Send out an e-mail campaign announcing your Mother’s Day gift options. Remember that most sales for Mother’s Day will be at the last minute. Promote your salon or spa’s Mother’s Day packages or gift cards as perfect “last minute” gift options.

Run your campaign like this:
Email 1: May 1: Mother's Day Campaign Launch
Email 2: May 6: Only 3 Days left!
Email 3: May 12: Last 24 Hours Last Minute Gifts = Gift Cards

TIP #6 Pre-Made Mother's Day Campaigns
It's not too late to capitalize on Mother's Day in your salon with pre-made campaigns from BeautyMark Marketing. Learn more here

 beauty business, beauty salon email marketing, mother's day marketing, mother's day marketing ideas, mother's day promotions, mother's day tips, salon email marketing, salon marketing ideas for mother's day, salon promotions for mother's day mother's day marketing, salon promotions for mother's day, mother's day business tips

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The Paralenz Dive Camera: Simple Enough for a Child to Use

Lugging around and learning to operate heavy camera gear is an unappealing (and unaffordable) option for many divers. Enter the new Paralenz Dive Camera, designed by divers for divers to easy to operate underwater. The design is based on a flashlight, which makes it easy to locate the buttons. The torch-like shape is also perfect for dealing with pressure and drag. It has an intuitive interface that you can operate with gloves and the camera’s haptic feedback always lets you know what it’s doing. The combination of design and features makes this camera so easy to use you could hand it to a child. Read on to find out why.

Magnetic switches and vibration feedback

The traditional push-buttons on most action cameras are too small, give too little feedback, don’t work very well under higher pressure, and are practically impossible to use with gloves. The Paralenz, on the other hand, has all magnetic switches and vibration feedback, which instantly lets you know what the camera is doing. You never really need to look at the display, as each function has a distinctive vibration pattern that tells you the camera’s current mode, or if it has started or stopped recording. Another bonus: the magnetic switches work at any pressure. 

Intuitive torch shape

Getting a new camera means investing a lot of time learning the layout of the buttons. And searching for the right one can mean missing the shot. But Paralenz has designed their camera like a dive torch so you can intuitively locate the buttons with little to no practice. The shape makes it very easy to know where you’re aiming and the 140-degree wide-angle lens means you’ll capture clear, fish-eye free, color-graded footage of whatever is in front of the camera. 

AutoRecord 

Ever forgotten to start the camera before your dive? You don’t have to worry about that anymore with the Paralenz. Once you enable the AutoRecord feature, all you need to do is jump in. The camera will automatically start to record and stop again when you return to the surface. Don’t think about the camera, just dive.

SnapRecord

Toggling between video and photo modes during a dive is a thing of the past. SnapRecord has both modes in one — just click once for a picture and hold down to record video.

Using SnapRecord, you only record the memories you want. This way you don’t end up with gigabytes of footage you have to move, store and edit to find the bits you want to keep.

DCC: Depth-controlled Color Correction

With the invention of DCC, Paralenz has eliminated the need for color filters. You get brighter footage and clearer colors from the surface to the bottom with no need to fiddle with filters or color-correct your footage later. You can share clean, color-graded, underwater footage, straight off the camera. Read more about the innovative Paralenz DCC here. 

Check out the Paralenz World Facebook Group to see amazing footage straight from the Paralenz Dive Camera taken by users from all over the world.

 

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Case in Point: How Social Work Regulation Advocates for Client Protection

Had this social worker not been licensed, what accountability would this practitioner have had to the profession or to the client? If not for a regulatory board, who would advocate that unethical practitioners must be held accountable?

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Professional Regulation and Licensure: A Foundation for Client Advocacy

Social workers bring an ethical perspective that is magnified and enhanced through licensure, and licensure in turn strengthens the core values of the profession through public protection.

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Best Scuba Diving in Brunei

If you’re looking for a truly unique dive destination, you might consider Brunei. With the largest oil fields and natural gas reserves in Southeast Asia, this tiny sultanate on the north coast of Borneo is also quite wealthy. Here’s an introduction on what to expect both topside and when it comes to the best scuba diving in Brunei.

Where is Brunei?

Brunei is a tiny a country on the island of Borneo, divided into two distinct sections. It’s entirely surrounded by Malaysia and sits on the South China Sea. It is easily accessible by plane, with many direct flights from neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Brunei is best-known for stunning beaches and protected rainforests and reserves. An extremely wealthy sultanate rules Brunei, and the country follows strict Muslim rules.  So, if you’re hoping for an after-dive beer in a beach bar, you’ll be disappointed. There’s no smoking allowed in the country either. Setting these quirks aside, you’ll find the best dive sites in Brunei to be well worth the trip.

With over 60 dive sites to choose from — many completely secluded and untouched — your group will often be alone on the reef. You can dive year-round in Brunei, with the dry season between March and October and the best visibility during May and June, often topping 100 feet (30 m). Water temperatures average from 77 to 86 F (25 to 30 C).

So, what is there to see?  Brunei appeals to two very different types of divers — the macro enthusiast and the adventurous wreck diver. Brunei’s reefs and corals are teeming with small life, a macro photographer’s dream.  And there are more than 30 shipwrecks to choose from, representing different eras and ranging in depth from 46 to 230 feet (14 m to 70 m). With that said, here are our picks for the top five dive sites in Brunei.

Top Five Dive Sites in Brunei

Abana Reef

Where is it: About 15 minutes by boat from the main harbor in Muara. All dive boats leave from this spot.

Details: Abana Reef is one of the most popular dive sites in Brunei. It starts at only 29 feet (9 m) and slopes down to a maximum of 79 feet (24 m). With warm waters and visibility of up to 65 feet (20 m), it is perfect for beginners or advanced divers. There can be strong surface currents, but your dive guide and boat crew will be able to assist should there be currents on your dive. Try Poni Divers, which has some of the most-experienced dive operators, a highly-trained staff and well-equipped boats.

What makes it special: Abana Reef is large and features a vast array of coral and marine life. It evokes an underwater garden, with vibrantly colored soft and hard corals and whip corals. Look closely to spot rare macro critters, such as whip-coral crabs, harlequin shrimp and several species of cowry. Venture off the edge of the reef into the whip-coral field across the sand and you’ll soon come across a group of seahorses as well.

Pelong Island

The small but beautiful Pelong Island is 20 minutes by boat out of Muara harbor.

Details: This dive site is best for novice divers or even snorkelers. It is a very shallow dive site, ranging from three feet (1 m) to a maximum of 59 feet (18 m). Again, like most Brunei dive sites, you’ll find warm water, good visibility and very little to no current. The best way to enter this dive site is to moor the boat further from the island on the sand banks and then swim to the reef. This way beginners can adjust their buoyancy first and then enjoy the reef. The reef surrounds the island, so you can choose from several sites.

What makes it special: Pelong Island is in a protected area. No one can visit the island, so you cannot moor there or set foot on the land. This means it’s a sanctuary not only for the coral and marine life but also for the birds and sea birds. Underwater, a vast array of hard corals make up the reef. You’ll see plenty of small reef fish alongside moray eels, stonefish and pipefish.

Australian wreck

Where is it: The Australian wreck is about 25 minutes by boat from Muara harbor and only 10 minutes from Abana Reef.

Details: This dive is best suited to the advanced diver. It starts at 72 feet (22 m), running to a maximum depth of 111 feet (34 m), at a 50-degree angle, and slowly sinking into the sand. The wreck is 279 feet long (85 m) and 39 feet (12 m) across. The thermocline starts at around 65 feet (20 m) just before you reach the wreck, where the water temperature drops to around 75 F (24 C). The visibility on this site is always slightly less than on other dive sites in Brunei, with a maximum of 33 feet (10 m). Maximum bottom times vary between 20 and 30 minutes.

What makes it special: The Australian wreck is remarkably intact and offers great penetration options. Its history is compelling as well. Theories posited that the wreck was either originally an Australian ship or a Japanese ship, sunk by an Australian torpedo. Although both theories ultimately proved incorrect, the name has stuck. The ship was originally a Dutch passenger and cargo ship called S.S De Klerk and built in 1909.

The Dutch Navy scuttled the ship in 1942 to prevent Japanese forces from capturing it. The Japanese, however, refloated the ship and renamed it the Imbari Maru. In 1944, while sailing between Singapore and Manila, it struck a Japanese mine and sank while carrying cargo of slave labor. All 339 captives were lost as they were chained in the cargo holds below and unable to escape. The ship is thusly treated as a war grave and visiting divers can still see human remains and shackles. Since it’s mostly intact, you can still see the bathrooms and the tiled floors glistening white in the dark depths. With such a ghastly past, colder waters and slightly poorer visibility, it’s no wonder so many divers have claimed to have supernatural experiences and encounters.

American wreck

Where is it: The American Wreck is a 5-minute boat journey from Australian Wreck, which makes for a perfect two-dive combination.

Details: The American wreck, or USS Salute (AM-294), is a World War II minesweeper. It lies between 72 and 105 feet (22 and 32 m), making it an ideal wreck for the advanced diver. The temperature ranges from 75 to 82 F (24 to 28 C), with the visibility reaching up to 50 feet (15 m). There’s lots of marine life here; as you descend you’ll see schools of trevallies and fusiliers. A school of juvenile barracuda hangs just off the descent line. The ship has broken in half and then folded in on itself, which makes it an intriguing exploration. You’ll definitely want more than one dive here.

What makes it special: Built in 1942 and launched in 1943, the ship functioned as a minesweeper and was received five battle stars for its part in World War II. In June 1945, it struck a mine during a pre-invasion sweep of the Brunei Bay with nine lives subsequently lost. As it sank it broke in half and folded in on itself as mentioned. The wreckage is still mainly intact, however, and lots of war artifacts litter the site. As you reach the end of the descent line, you will discover numerous rounds of ammunition.

Oil rig wreck

Location: The oil rig wreck is about 30 minutes by boat out of Muara harbor, just west of Pelong Island.

Details: The oil rig wreck is comprised of nine structures spread over 1,000 square feet (100 square meters). The site goes from 23 to 62 feet (7 to 19 m) making it another ideal spot for beginners. Water temperatures top out around 82 F (28 C) and visibility can reach 80 feet (25 m). The wreck, designed as an artificial reef, holds numerous types of hard and soft coral. You’ll see numerous types of hard and soft coral as the wreck is designed as an artificial reef structure. Schools of barracuda and trevallies, nudibranchs and whip-coral crabs are also abundant.

What makes it special: The oil rig wreck is one of the first sites in Brunei’s “Rigs to Reefs” program, and it’s one of the first in Asia.  Some of the first platforms were decommissioned in 1988 with additions in 1994. This site is also ideal for photographers as it offers stunning wide-angle shots of the rig and schooling fish. Macro photographers will appreciate the up-close shots of nudibranchs and tiny cowries. This site is a perfect example of the Brunei government and dive industries’ commitment to protecting their oceans and marine life.

By guest author Beth Alexander

 

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Scuba Diving as Meditation

Many non-divers think of scuba diving as an extreme sport. Just mention that you’re a diver and watch non-diver’s eyes stretch wide. They may ask if your health insurance covers the extremely dangerous activity you’re participating in. As scuba has gained popularity, though, more dollars have gone into safety research. It’s now even safer and accessible to almost anyone. Diving is not only a sport but also a unique sensory experience. The sensory immersion of scuba diving means that many of us think of scuba diving as meditation. Connecting a diver with his or her breath provides a way to journey into oneself.

The touch that sets you free

Divers all know that underwater world is a touch-free zone. But while we’re underwater we’re actually touching and being touched by water the entire time. Few things equal the sensory experience of feeling the water moving against your bare skin, although we do spend much of our time underwater in wetsuits. But the nature of the water’s touch holds us suspended weightless in the water, allowing us to move in ways that we cannot on land. This leads to a feeling of absolute freedom.

Entering into this space is almost like entering a bubble where the focus point becomes you and your body in relation to the world around you. Once their focus moves from their equipment and skill practice, experienced divers become more spatially aware based on signals from their body. For example, they may notice the difference in depth of a few feet or a meter based on how their ears or buoyancy reacts. They begin to control their buoyancy, as well as slight depth changes, by controlling the volume of air in their lungs. ***Dive tip: you can keep the air volume in your lungs fairly constant for short amounts of time by breathing with your diaphragm.

All you need is the air that you breathe

Diving elicits other feelings besides that of being free. Because we cannot verbally communicate underwater, diving also often creates a sense of stillness. With the sounds and distractions of the world topside drowned out, you become more aware of the unique sounds of the ocean: waves breaking, shells tumbling against each other, a boat in the distance, fish feeding… and most of all, your own breathing.

Diving requires you to pay attention to your breath to maintain your buoyancy. Doing so can also help you identify when you are overexerting yourself or entering into an uncomfortable situation that might escalate. If you think about the advice instructors give for these situations — Stop. Breathe. Act. — it becomes clear that breath-control is important in diving

By paying attention and listening to your breathing, as noting the physical sensations of the water surrounding you, you enter a kind of meditative state. While diving you become more and more aware of the present moment and how you interact with the world around you. External demands fall away and all you must do is focus on the moment. This meditative state can last once you’re back on the boat as well, leaving you calm and relaxed.

This meditative effect has led some to call diving and being submerged in water as a “therapeutic landscape,” where reconnection with self and healing can take place.

And who knows, perhaps in time, insurance companies will offer divers a discount for the health benefit of diving. Until then, we can all remember to just breathe.

By guest author Juanita Pienaar

 

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The Gun Control Debate and Marriage Counseling: How Are They Alike?

In marriage counseling and in the gun control debate, until each side stops and really hears the other, nothing is going to move forward. They’ll just keep reiterating their points, probably with increasing volume and frustration.

from The New Social Worker Online — the professional social work careers magazine https://ift.tt/2G7thTc

Cabbage Tree Bay: Manly’s Marine-Park Miracle

Ask any Manly local and they’ll tell you that 15 years ago, there was no marine life in Cabbage Tree Bay. Recreational fishermen had emptied out the waters, almost to the last fish. Dive there today and you’ll find that hard to believe. As soon as you put your head underwater you’ll see large schools of fish. Swim along for a little while and one of the resident blue gropers will soon introduce himself. The marine life here is solid proof that marine reserves work.

Where is Cabbage Tree Bay?

Cabbage Tree Bay is a stretch of water between Sydney’s famous Manly Beach and Shelly Beach. There are two dive sites here. You can access Fairy Bower via steps on the rocky southern shore that curves around to the left and Shelly Beach from the beach on the right-hand side.

Fifteen years ago, apart from being a pretty place to swim, there wasn’t much to see here. In fact, in 2004, scuba diver and author Michael McFadyen described it thusly:

“The reef does not have much fixed life. There are no sponges, no gorgonians, no sea tulips. In fact, this whole site is somewhat devoid of life. You may see a few small rays and there are sometimes very isolated patches of ladder-finned pomfrets and one-spot pullers, but this is about all. In summary, my view is that this is a bit of a boring dive, worth doing once every five years or so and the occasional night dive.”

Conservation comes to Cabbage Tree Bay

What a difference a decade makes. In 2002, thanks to successful lobbying by a group of concerned residents, the local council agreed to establish a snorkel park. The bay was declared a “no-take reserve,” Sydney’s first (and only). Since then, marine life has flourished.

The reserve has seven main types of habitat: sandy beaches, rocky shores, rocky reefs, kelp, seagrass beds, sandy seabed and open water. Within these, observers have recorded over 160 species of fish and 50 species of marine invertebrates.

Diving at Cabbage Tree Bay

On the right-hand side of the beach, there are sponge gardens, sea tulips and large kelp gardens alongside the large boulders that line the coast. Look above you and you’ll see large schools of juvenile fish; look below to the sea floor to see stingrays and eagle rays. Port Jackson sharks, scorpionfish, nudibranchs, octopus and wobbegongs hide among the rocks, and weedy seadragons sway with the surge in the kelp gardens.

Swim out from the point a short way across the sandy bottom, and you’ll also find the wreck of a motorbike, a popular first ‘wreck’ for open water students.

On the Fairy Bower side, you’ll also find wobbegongs, sting rays, nudibranchs, octopus, giant cuttlefish and the odd moray eel among the rocks and seaweed. There are schooling fish, clumps of catfish and wrasse of all sizes and colors. If you’re lucky you may even spot a lone grey nurse shark, or a school of cownose rays.

What will you see?

Fish species in the bay range from common temperate species to tropical species that move south on the East Australian Current (EAC). In summer, as the water warms, juvenile dusky whaler sharks, green sea turtles, and smaller tropical fish such as Moorish idols visit the bay. In the winter, giant cuttlefish aggregate to breed. Other species, including the blue groper, cuttlefish and wobbegong sharks inhabit the reserve year-round. Other full-time residents include protected species such as seadragons, elegant wrasse and black rock cod.

Both sites are easy to navigate without any local knowledge. Enter the water either from the steps at Fairy Bower or the beach, turn either left or right, and follow the coastline until you decide to turn around.

It is best to dive early in the morning, mainly to ensure you find somewhere to park. Shelly Beach gets very busy during the day (especially on weekends). The bay is also a great spot for a night dive, being shallow with little to no current (and plenty to see).

Two local dive shops do guided dives here several days a week. If you prefer to go on your own, you can rent gear and air fills from either dive shop as well.

The abundant marine life in Cabbage Tree Bay Marine Reserve should be argument enough that Sydney needs more reserves. But, so far, it’s the only one, making it one of the most popular dive sites in Sydney.

Deborah Dickson-Smith is one half of Diveplanit, a dive travel website she manages with her partner Simon Mallender, based in Australia.

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Lessons learned from BBC's global editorial transformation

Dmitry Shishkin is the BBC World Service's Digital Development Editor. In this position, he and his colleagues are in charge of driving the digital transformation of the Service's editorial teams around the world.

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Skills and strategies for the newsroom of the future

Diverse in gender, nationalities, ages, and skills, and with a clear sense of mission to do great, impactful journalism. That's how Dr Alexandra Borchardt, Director of Strategic Development at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, envisions newsrooms in 2020.

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Shooting for a Black or Blue Background in Macro Images

You needn’t be a diver to appreciate the stunning underwater images gracing magazines and the internet. As a photographer, our challenge is to bring those colors out in a natural, vivid way without using the saturation slider in post-production. Now that we understand lighting a little bit better, it’s time to apply some of those principles. Here, we will discuss some specific shooting techniques to get a black or blue background in our macro images.

Black background

We can shoot an image with a black background in the following ways:

• The subject has nothing behind it but water
• Using a low ISO speed of 100
• Using a high shutter speed — 1/200 for a DSLR or 1/500 with a compact camera
• Our f-stop is stopped down to a higher number, which means a smaller aperture. For a compact camera use f/8. On a DSLR use f/16 to 18 or higher.

As discussed in our last installment, we create a barrier from ambient light by using the low ISO and a fast shutter speed. This allows for stronger, natural contrast through strobe saturation. Think of the image as two separate parts, treating the background and foreground differently.

For the background, the ISO and shutter speed work together. Once you set this, you can leave it alone. The shutter speed — unless you’re shooting under 1/30 — has nothing to do with image sharpness. You’ll dial this in with the strobe-flash duration, which will freeze the action instantly. So, keep your shutter speed fast and your ISO low for the background. For the foreground, concentrate on adding the colors by nearness to the subject, strobe angle and f-stop.

When shooting a subject with a black background, the key is to avoid flashing the strobes into the background itself. Instead, angle the strobe head. Imagine going through all the work of preparing to paint a wall in your house and then simply throwing a bucket of paint on it and walking away. Sloppy painting like this would negate our meticulous preparation. Now apply that metaphor to creating an image with a black background.

Shot selection

Shot selection is 80 percent of creating an image with a black background. Simply find a subject that is perched on a rock, hanging out of a crevice, hiding in a vase sponge, or is relatively static. Nudibranchs are an easy subject to use for practicing composition on a black background. Be sure nothing is behind your subject and get low. Get close and shoot at an upward angle.

Strobe placement

To avoid over-lighting the background, change your strobe angle so that the strobe heads are facing inward. Not at each other or at the lens port, but in an “x” configuration. If you’re using two strobes, the right strobe head should face your 8:00 and the left should face the 4:00 o’clock.

Remember that the strobe-flash pattern is cone-like. Think of the emitted light leaving your strobe and spreading out as it gains distance from the strobe. We want to use the outside edge of that strobe-flash pattern to illuminate our subject. This strobe angle works best for subjects that are at the closest inner-working distance of your lens (3 to 4 inches).

You can use that same strobe angle for super-macro. The idea here is for your camera housing to block most of the light emitted, with just enough light to gently kiss your subject. Preparing your shot with a fast shutter-speed and low ISO, as well as applying these strobe-flash techniques will result in a colorful image with lovely contrast on a black background.

Other considerations

Of course, there are a few other considerations, chief among them the problem of backscatter. When the strobe flash illuminates particulates in the water between the lens port and the subject itself, you’ve got backscatter. Your focus light won’t cause backscatter as the strobe flash is stronger. Avoiding backscatter using the “x” strobe-angle technique takes practice and problem solving, so keep these points in mind when it appears in your shots:

• Don’t aim the strobes at each other in front of the lens port
• Don’t aim them at the lens port
• If there’s too much backscatter, angle the strobes in further
• Increase your f-stop
• Wait for the water to clear up a little before proceeding

Don’t get discouraged; simply adjust, shoot again and check. Keep angling the strobes and work your f-stop up a little until you have success. After a little practice you’ll be producing stunning macro images with black backgrounds.

Bringing in the blue

Although a blue (or green) background is common in wide-angle images, it’s less so when it comes to macro. But what if our subject is black or a detailed portion of the subject is black? Black on black doesn’t work, and no matter how we change the strobe power, nothing seems to work.

Slow your shutter speed

You can bring blue into the background simply by slowing your shutter speed down from 1/200 to 1/60, enough to allow the ambient light to leak in. Slowing your shutter speed this way will allow more light through the aperture and will brighten the background. Keep control tight though, as the sun will ultimately overpower the shutter speed and strobe flash, resulting in a soft leading edge on your subject.

Otherwise you’ll use the same technique and strobe positions outlined above. Shot selection, subject, situation and strobe angles can remain the same; the only difference will be a slower shutter speed. Remember that shutter speed controls the ambient light in the background and your f-stop will control the foreground flash. The colors will pop in foreground and the blues will now enter the frame.

Note that if your shutter is too slow, your subject will have a soft edge. These aren’t always a bad thing if they are trailing the subject. If the soft edge is on the mouth or eyes then analyze your shot, note the shutter speed and try again. Subjects like frogfish or nudibranchs are easy to practice on and, as your skill progresses, you can challenge yourself with other animals.

Other techniques

To add another technique to your portfolio, you can capture the blur and create a smoky edge on a moving subject. Again, you’ll use your shutter speed and f-stop. Logic reverses though, and here we’ll control the sharpness with strobe flash, higher f-stops, and shutter speeds of 1/60 for a DSLR. Try to time the shot when your subject for a moment when your subject has nothing behind it, and don’t move the camera. Allow the subject to move in the frame; focus on the eye or leading edge and release the shutter.

The smoke trail of a fast-moving fish will dazzle your eyes when captured correctly. In this image, I’m using a shutter speed of 1/30, focused on the eye and holding steady. Let the subject move through the frame and resist the urge to follow it. You will actually hear the shatter making a “ca-chunk” sound when it’s this slow.

When shooting a black subject on the sand, like this black hairy frogfish, reverse the logic back and open your aperture. There is no need to change the strobe duration. When the aperture is open to f/11 or more, the strobe flash begins to fill in your subject’s textures, resulting in a better exposure. I shot this image in full daylight and in shallow water. I used a snoot to restrict the spread of my strobe flash, fast shutter, low ISO and an f-stop of f/9.

The simple rule of photography is that there are no rules. It’s your own mastery over your camera — not the camera — that creates appealing images. When it comes to shooting for different backgrounds in your macro images, take your time, experiment often and don’t forget to have fun.

By guest author Mike Bartick

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