X-Ray Mag #54

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X-Ray Mag #54

April 18, 2013 - 16:40
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Diving Cocos Island; British Columbia's Southern Gulf Islands; Seals of Farne Islands; The Lermontov Wreck off New Zealand; Japan's Yonaguni Jima; Finland's Ojamo Mine; Expedition to the Maldives; Dive Fitness Programs for Divers; Scuba Instructor Training; Tech: Self-Sufficiency vs Team Diving; Macro with Mirrorless Cameras; Peter Hughes Profile; Frozen Water: Amanda Brisbane's Sand Cast Glass; Plus news and discoveries, equipment and training news, books and media, underwater photo and video equipment, turtle news, shark tales, whale tales and much more...

Pages: 
93 spreads (double pages)

File size: 
44 Mb

Main features in this issue include:

Amanda Brisbane Portfolio

April 23, 2013 - 14:09
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The story is found: 
on page 80

Inspired by nature, the sea, the waves, the water itself, British artist Amanda Brisbane creates stunning, one-of-a-kind glass sculptures and vessels with a unique glass-making process working with sand. The results capture the fluidity and motion of water frozen in time.

"Nature is a great informer. The colours and textures of the sea and shells give me much inspiration. The fluidity of the ocean and colours are reflected in my work."
-- Amanda Brisbane

British Columbia's Southern Gulf Islands

April 23, 2013 - 15:32
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The story is found: 
on page 29

Located between the lower part of Vancouver Island and Mainland Vancouver in the Strait of Georgia, the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada, are made up of over 12 large islands and several smaller ones.

There are several dive charter operators servicing the Southern Gulf Islands, offering two-tank day charters, with assistance in arranging or will provide accommodations. Top this with a commonly mild coastal climate, friendly people and you have the makings of a relaxing BC dive getaway.

Cocos Island — An Epic Pelagic Adventure

April 23, 2013 - 13:28
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The story is found: 
on page 20

Tucked behind rocks at 90 feet, my fellow divers and I were getting restless hoping for a visit from hammerheads or one of the resident tiger sharks, neither of which were cooperating. The dive master motioned for the group to follow, as he headed to another cleaning station and perhaps better luck. As I turned to make sure the videographer to my right got the signal, I saw him kicking in the opposite direction to deeper water.

Figuring he saw something worth pursuing, I swam blindly after him through the haze of a shimmering thermocline. Emerging out the other side onto the sandy bottom at 104 feet, I was staring at my very first tiger shark as it swam past the videographer and straight towards me.

Finland's Ojamo Mine

April 23, 2013 - 12:59
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The story is found: 
on page 49

Diving the Ojamo lime mine in Finland, 138 meters of water, 4°C.

Imagine sub-zero temperatures and a hole in the ice. That is your entrance to the underworld of Ojamo, the most popular diving site in Finland.

The Ojamo lime mine is situated 60 kilometers west of Helsinki. It attracts thousands of visitors every year. The mine area is part of the city of Lohja, known for its industry.   The mining operations began here in the 19th century.

Lermontov Wreck

April 23, 2013 - 14:36
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The story is found: 
on page 8

Make way for the shoreline— the ship is taking on water and fast! Perhaps these were not the exact words used to describe the situation, but the sinking of the MS Mikhail Lermontov has now become one of the largest diveable wrecks in New Zealand for both recreational and technical divers.

On 16 February 1986, she left Picton accompanied by harbor master Don Jamison.

Mirrorless and Macro

April 23, 2013 - 16:29
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The story is found: 
on page 60

In this article, the fourth in the series on mirrorless cameras, we will look at the potential of these cameras for macro underwater photography. In this article, the fifth in the series, we will take a close look at how the Olympus OMD-EM5 mirrorless camera performs underwater, but first a quick refresher on the story so far and why the OMD.

Most underwater photographers start their personal journey with some form of macro set-up because it offers the cheapest and easiest way to achieve consistent results that are both sharp and properly exposed with vibrant eye-catching colors— which is usually when the bug really starts to bite.

Peter Hughes

April 29, 2013 - 09:30
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The story is found: 
on page 36

Dive pioneer Peter Hughes sat down with X-RAY MAG to give insight into his 40-plus years in the dive industry, what has inspired him and his thoughts on the future.

X-RAY MAG: Why? What is so cool about diving?

PH: The general silence, bubbles only, the weightlessness allowing three dimensional freedom of movement, the colours, the behaviours of the life we see... So many things...

So You Want to Be a Scuba Instructor ...

April 23, 2013 - 17:50
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The story is found: 
on page 12

… just as soon as you get OW certified!?

Do you remember your first reaction to being able to breathe underwater? What was the first thing you wanted to do when you caught sight of a coral head liberally seasoned with tiny, multi-colored bait fish? When your instructor handed you your very first c-card, did you get a strong urge to swap places with them?

Judging by regular postings on any one of the various scuba forums and diving message boards in Cyberland, a fair percentage of newly-minted divers suffer through an overwhelmingly strong urge to replace their current situation with the “romance and glamor” of life as a scuba instructor on a warm

Tales of 'Daring Do' — And a Sobering Lesson from OZTek 2013

April 23, 2013 - 12:13
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The story is found: 
on page 56

Although Facebook is a useful tool, it can never replace physical interaction with friends, colleagues and peers. Without a doubt there is a need for a regular gathering of the clans.

Events like EUROTEK and OZTek serve a vital role drawing people in from all over the globe, bringing together briefly a good part of the technical diving village, and reinforcing the strong sense of community we share.

Where and Why Sharks Attack

April 25, 2013 - 17:50
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The story is found: 
on page 68

The reasons for shark attacks and the question of when and where they might occur has always been the subject of intense scientific interest in the effort to make seaside recreation as safe as possible.

They have localized several such areas along the coastlines of Florida and California, where more than two thirds of all shark attacks take place in the United States, examining the regions where attacks rarely happen as well as those already known to be dangerous.

Wobbegongs of Raja Ampat

April 23, 2013 - 18:08
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The story is found: 
on page 70

Beautifully adapted to an ambush predator existence, wobbegongs rely on their exquisitely cryptic coloration to avoid detection and catch their prey by surprise.

Wobbegongs—also commonly known as carpet sharks due to their velvety and highly ornamented livery—are currently grouped into three genera and eleven species. All are found in the Western Indo-Pacific, mostly in shallow Australian and Indonesian waters.

Yonaguni Jima

April 23, 2013 - 12:44
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The story is found: 
on page 82

Lured by stories of schooling hammerhead sharks and a lost city submerged below the surface, Farhat Jah headed out on the long journey to Japan’s westernmost island.

Yonaguni rose up out of the ocean floor. This was no coral atoll, it was a solid rock. One small town, two very small villages and two sheltered harbours made up the human addition to the island. It was cold, 16°C, and a gentle wind blew at all times over the rocks. The atmosphere was quite bucolic.