Happy New Year 2012!

Atoll Scuba & Maldives Promotion House celebrated the New Year on 1st January 2012 with 2 dives to the ‘Maldive Victory’ wreck and Banana Reef. The visibility was not so great but the guys had good fun on both the dives.

Happy New Year……

Photo published in SDAA latest issue.

A photo of a Porcelain Anemone Crab taken by ‘Shaff’ has been published in the international dive magazine Scuba Diver Australasia’s latest issue. The photo was taken this year at Kurumba Resort house reef.

Cover of Scuba Diver Australasia Issue 6/2011

The Porcelain Anemone Crab

Upcoming Dive Courses

We’ll be starting new courses in 2012…Technical Diving courses!  SSI TXR and PADI TecRec courses will be started soon. As soon as our instructors get their  TXR & TecRec ratings. Will be keeping you updated..

‘Maldives: Colours of the Ocean’

‘Maldives: Colours of the Ocean’ is the first publication of Maldives Promotion House and it will be launched in a few weeks time. The authors are Mohamed Shafraz Naeem & Mohamed Shafraz Hafiz. This is a hard cover coffee table book of 122 pages & 99 breathtaking underwater photos by Mohamed Shafraz Naeem ‘Shaff’. It will be the perfect gift to show the colourful life beneath the Maldivian waters.

Maldives: Colours of the Ocean

To pre-order the book please contact: info@maldives.net.mv

Humpback Whales in Baa Atoll, Maldives

By Guy Stevens

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from 12–16 metres (39–52 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the water. Males produce a complex song, which lasts for 10 to 20 minutes and is repeated for hours at a time. The purpose of the song is not yet clear, although it appears to have a role in mating.

Found in oceans and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate up to 25,000 kilometres (16,000 mi) each year. Humpbacks feed only in summer, in polar waters, and migrate to tropical or sub-tropical waters to breed and give birth in the winter. During the winter, humpbacks fast and live off their fat reserves. The species’ diet consists mostly of krill and small fish. Humpbacks have a diverse repertoire of feeding methods, including the bubble net feeding technique.

Like other large whales, the humpback was and is a target for the whaling industry. Due to over-hunting, its population fell by an estimated 90% before a whaling moratorium was introduced in 1966. Stocks have since partially recovered; however, entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and noise pollution also remain concerns. There are at least 80,000 humpback whales worldwide. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, humpbacks are now sought by whale-watchers, particularly off parts of Australia, New Zealand, South America, Canada, and the United States.

The population of Humpbacks in the Indian ocean is poorly studied and of the few animals which are sighted in the Maldives each year, researchers have no idea where they have travelled from. The humpbacks are most likely using the Maldivian atolls as a resting area, sheltered inside the safety of the atoll’s lagoon the whales are taking advantage of the calm waters to rest before beginning the next leg of    their epic journey. As mother whales and small calves are also sighted, it is possible the females are using the atolls as a birthing ground.

Like other marine animals, humpbacks can be individually identified by the unique patterns on the underside of their fluke (tail).  Scientists in the Indian ocean studying the humpbacks have created a database to see if they can find out where these wandering giants journey.  The current theory is that the Humpbacks that occur in the Maldives have ventured across the Indian ocean from the Arabian Sea.  The sighting of this humpback whale has been sent to whale researchers in the hope that they will find a match from another location in the world helping to unlock the mysteries of these amazing animals lives.

‘Black Diamond’ from Aqualung / Sea Quest

The Black Diamond BC is the do all, be all BC for the serious recreational diver. From Tec to Rec the Black Diamond will meet all of your demands and do it well. Designed to provide the comfort desired for daily diving and the features needed to take you over the edge, the Black Diamond is ideal for the diver who does it all.

Features:

Exclusive Sure Lock™ (patent pending) mechanical weight release system.

Rear-mounted non-releasable weight pouches hold a maximum of 10 lbs/4.5 kg of weight

Patented low-profile three dimensional air cell

Fully reinforced internal LDH plastic harness provides excellent support and load distribution.

Easy to use 2 inch (50mm) wide swivel buckles on shoulder improve fit and load support.

Self-adjusting Lumbar Support (SLS)

One large cargo pocket and two zippered security pockets

NEW! right shoulder pull dump

Vertically adjustable chest strap

Multi-set waist adjustment that also accommodates optional 12″ (30cm) waistband extensions

Rolled neoprene around the collar for added comfort

5 Large Stainless Steel D-Rings (4 on size small)

Over-molded carrying handle

Back pad lifts to expose double cylinder access holes

Contoured Backpack provides the needed stability even with the heaviest cylinders.

Patented Tank Traction System (TTS) ensures the tank is firmly attached to the BC

Two lower pull dumps allow for easy dumping of air if you prefer head first descents or when you are in the swimming position

Accessory attachment grommets allow for quick attachment of a Deep See knife directly to the BC

Webbing loops for optional crotch strap

Stainless Steel Jon line D-ring

 

You can order the ‘Black Diamond’ from the Authorized Aqualung dealer in the Maldives: Dive Gear

Neville Coleman’s Marine Life Identification Guide

Neville Coleman, the authority on Asia and the Indo-Pacific region’s aquatic life, brings you his very own iPhone app, an electronic field guide. As a man who discovered over 450 species for science, expectations for the guide are high. Naturally, they’re met.

 Coleman brings to your palm over 1700 species, broken down and colour coded for easy comprehension into 16 major life groups. Each of these species has its own detailed page, and can even be compared side by side with each other. You even get to keep your own log.

The intuitive interface streamlines navigation, the photography is breathtaking, and the information is extensive. The app essentially places 1700 species of marine life at your fingertips.

• The eGuide features 1700 species with over 2000 stunning visual identification images
• Includes 16 major Marine Life Groups from Algae to Marine Mammals
• Each Phylum with its Classes has a natural history page with Features; Lifestyle; Reproduction; Associations and Identifications.
• Colour coded Main Menu allows instant access to the different groups
• Species within each group arranged in alphabetical order
• Each image represented by a caption, which includes Family Genus, Species and Common name, Habitat, Size, Location, Distribution and Remarks
• Quick Search function based on Genus, species and Common name search. A simple and intuitive interface that puts all the information at your fingertips
• My List – Log Function with Species, Location, Date and Notes enables the diver to use this for daily Dive records, Fauna surveys, species notes, natural history observations and in conjunction with Neville Coleman’s Project AWARE Underwater Naturalist Course

    Compatible with:

    iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Requires  iOS 3.0 or later

Dive Medic Technician Course in Thailand

DMTs serve at the critical first step in the diving medicine chain, caring for injured divers on the scene and acting as tenders in the hyperbaric chamber.
Many of the participants in these programs are diving safety officers with dive teams or tenders associated with hyperbaric chambers, but a good number of them are also dive professionals interested in advancing their knowledge of dive medicine so they can better tend to the divers in their care.

Responsibility of a DMT

DMTs Diver Medical Technicians provide an alternative to presence of qualified hyperbaric physicians at every dive site who can respond to emergency medical situations and communicate effectively with a physician located remotely.
They also provide emergency care and basic life support in the field while stabilizing injured divers. They report accidents and treatment to medical authorities and perform tasks and give aid as directed by proper authorities.
DMTs also encourage fitness in diving community and keep accurate, informative records, such and neurological assessments and histories of divers in their care, where appropriate.

This DMT course in Thailand offers lectures presented by internationally known faculty, hands-on practical skills, and the experience gained through 14 hours of clinical time.
Lecture topics include: the Role and Responsibilities of the DMT; Review of Gas Laws; Nitrogen Narcosis, O2 Toxicity; the Ears & Sinuses; Otoscope Use; Decompression Sickness (DCS) and much more.

Program Certification
The National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology has certified the DMT course as a Module 16 program.
Each course at Blue Label Diving is limited to 6 persons.

COURSE PRICE: 45,000 THB ( US$ 1500)

The Diving Medical Technician program includes skill training in all of current training programs. Candidates will receive additional skill training in otoscope use, neurological surveys, detailed physical exams and invasive skills.

For more information contact info@divemedics.org or visit http://divemedics.org

How to Take a Manta Identification Photo

By Guy Stevens

In addition to their unique personalities, every manta ray has its own pattern of spots on its belly, or ventral surface. These spot patterns can be used to identify individual manta rays much in the same way fingerprints can be used to identify humans.

By cataloguing photo IDs of manta rays, we can develop a better understanding of how large the local population is, and how its individuals are utilizing certain sites in the area and travelling throughout the region.

A photograph of the ventral surface is the most important, as it reveals the individual’s identity, and also shows the sex of the animal, which can be used to calculate proportions of males and females in the population. The best photo ID captures the entire underside of the manta, but sometimes manta encounters can be short, so it’s important to photograph the most indicative portion of the animal in a pinch. The area between the gill slits and the lower belly is the most critical for identification, while the rest of the ventral surface can be useful if two individuals have similar patterns.

Don’t Forget the Top!

 

Hopefully your manta encounters will last more than a few short minutes. If you have the opportunity to spend more time with a manta, taking photos of the animal’s top, or dorsal side, and profile shots of the manta can also be extremely useful.

Mating Scars: During mating, males bite down on a female’s left pectoral fin in order to manoeuvre (remember, these animals don’t have opposable thumbs, fingers, or even arms!). This rubs off the skin on the female’s fin and leaves a scar which can show when a female has reached sexual maturity, and how often it has been mating.

 

Pregnancies: By keeping track of pregnant females, we can tell when and how often certain individuals are pregnant, estimate how many babies are being born each year, and track any trends in pregnancies for the population as a whole. If you think you see a pregnant female, make sure you get the profile shot to prove it!    

Reef Fishes of the Maldives

‘Reef Fishes of the Maldives’ is both an encyclopaedia and a love letter to the defining aspect of Maldive’s natural beauty, its reefs. Author Dr. Charles Anderson obviously loves what he has seen here, and he has collaborated with some of the biggest authorities on the Maldivian seas to craft a definitive work.

The intimate knowledge of the reefs shine through in the content. Broken down into 64 categories, the reef fishes of the Maldives are arranged in a display of some of the warmest underwater photography. The details are meticulous; information on average size, an idea of general behaviour, biology, rarity, and habitat are provided in addition to the anecdotes both historical and personal.

The text is bite-sized and easy to digest, making for an easy read. The uniformity of the structure and layout make the book ideal for carrying around to consult on the fly, while the integrity of the content ensures the volume’s status as reference material.

Ultimately Reef Fishes’s dual nature as both reference material and coffee table book make it easy to recommend. The text is informative and insightful, while the photos are taken with a familiarity, making one aware of the living, breathing nature of the world below the surface of Maldivian seas.