Scubafriends Network

The Telegraph has a great excerpt from Raising the Dead by Philip Finch. The book is about the recovery of the body of Deon Dreyer a full 10 years after his death in Boesmansgat (Bushman’s Hole).

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Some things don’t change - Dive Atlas of the World is still number 1. But some newcomers made a surprisingly good showing, such as the Lonely Planet Sardinia (joining the list at #3). Read on for the whole list.

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The Georgia Aquarium announced last month that they would be allowing guests to swim or dive with a whale shark (the world’s largest fish) in the world’s largest aquarium exhibition tank. The 30-minute dive includes aquarium admission, equipment, logbook signing, participation certificate, t-shirt and commemorative photo.
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So due to major knee surgery I’m forbidden from diving this year. (I’m going to appeal in the fall..) BUT.. all hope is not lost. We do have a trip planned. (And we won’t even have to fly there. Or spend 3 weeks driving.)

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No, I’m not talking about those “dive adventure” helmet trips to the bottom of a 10′ snorkel site. And I’m not talking about super-discount trips on a submersible. I’m talking about Endless Ocean for the Nintendo Wii.
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Wow. Someone has finally invented an underwater digital camera that anyone (yes, anyone) can use. Due for release in March, this cool little device integrates directly into the mask. So if you are one of those people that travels with just one mask (and maybe a spare), it’s the perfect camera. Just face your subject, reach up and push the button. No more worrying about extra gear hanging off you, no more badly framed photos (thanks to the crosshairs carved into the mask glass) and no more funny looks when you dunk your mask in the camera bucket..

5.1 Megapixels, good to 30 meters, and it even takes video. 16MB of built-in storage, expandable via micro-sd (not another random format…sigh) and best of all, its only $99USD. Anyone want to get one and report back?

(Via CNET)

I finally gave in and switched to WordPress. Part of why I haven’t been posting recently (..ok, its been about 5 months) is the old interface and the constant need to update Drupal. Unfortunately, accounts haven’t been migrated over, so you’ll need to reregister. The good news is its much easier to post now, so I should have something up every few days. (And I can queue posts ahead of time when I expect to be busy, yay..)
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Moray eels have a second set of “jaws” at the top of their throats, reminiscent of the movie Aliens. A study has shown exactly how the double-jaw action works during feeding. While most fish use suction to eat (suddenly expanding their mouths to grab food and water together) moray eels use the unique second set of jaws to secure food in a method unlike that in any previously studied animal.
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A fascinating algae that is the primary food supply for coral around the world has started to yield secrets. It is a very unique lifeform, with 100x the DNA of humans and a unique non-chlorophyll-based photosynthesis method. It even has an impact on global warming by soaking up atmospheric CO2.
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Looking for a winter vacation? Consider one of the most remote islands in the world - Midway Atoll. As part of the new national marine monument in Hawaii, the island is being opened for ecotourism to help raise awareness as well as remove trash and foreign species.
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