And Finally » sea

Humpback Whales Up Close

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:04:25 +0000

It is one of the rarest sights in nature but these incredible images show a pair of courting humpback whales moments before diving deep into the clear blue waters to mate.

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Underwater photographer Tony Wu witnessed the incredible moment earlier this month off the islands of Vava’u in the Kingdom of Tonga.

Swimming closely to a pod of southern hemisphere humpbacks, Tony witnessed the notorious ‘heat run’ where one female is pursued by a number of males until she selects a partner.

On this occasion, Tony, was able to capture the rare sight of an aroused triumphant male humpback whale swimming gracefully next to the chosen female.

“There is no documented case of anyone seeing humpback whales mate,” said 40-year-old Tony.

“I know the whales come here each winter in part to find mates, so there’s always a hope of catching something like this.

“But taking this actual photograph was somewhat by chance.

“The two resting whales surfaced every ten minutes or so, took a few breaths of air, and then settled back in the water column to rest.

“On this occasion, they swam for an extended period, perhaps up to five minutes. I swam alongside, making eye contact with the male.

“At one point, the male’s body language indicated that the pair would dive soon, and I took several photos as they did so.

“They dived deep, which was slightly different from the previous behaviour. When I examined the photos, I realised that the male’s penis was showing.

“I’d like to think that they went deep for some private time, but no-one can be one hundred percent certain of that.”

Witnessing the courting ritual known as the heat run, Tony was able to see many examples of interaction between the whales.

“The heat run involves one female and several male suitors,” said Tony.

“The female and males swim, and the males challenge one another, show off to the female, until the female selects a male.

“The process can take a long time, many hours or even days, and has the potential to get rough and violent among the males.

“Once the female has chosen a mate, they spend time together.

“I have spent time with many mating pairs over the years. Typically, they are relaxed, often inquisitive and clearly demonstrate amorous intent to one another.

“They often make body contact, swim in graceful, elaborate, almost choreographed motions.”

Each year southern hemisphere humpback whales visit the area to mate, give birth, raise young, socialise and then head back south to Antarctic waters to feed.

Spending six to eight weeks of each year (August-September) with humpbacks in this area, Tony uses his years of expertise to witness such events.

“Southern hemisphere humpbacks have many places they visit in the winter each year,” said Tony.

“The Vava’u group of islands in the Kingdom of Tonga is one of those places.

“I have photo IDs of repeat visits by some whales, so it’s clear that some whales do visit the same areas, but whales can swim far, and there are many islands in the region.

“There is photo evidence of whales visiting many islands in the area, so they are not necessarily restricted to this particular group of islands.”

Despite his years o experience though, this is the first time he has photographed humpbacks so close to mating.

“This isn’t the first time I have photographed mating pairs,” said Tony.

“But it is the first time I have photographed the obvious deploying of a penis prior to diving, possibly for the purpose of mating.

“I still want to see the actual mating event and a whale giving birth, but seeing this whale couple preparing to mate is a positive sign.

“I’ve come across five such pairs so far during this winter season in Vava’u.

“Each pair means the possibility of a new humpback calf being born and raised next year, which means increased odds of continued healthy recovery of the southern hemisphere humpback whale population. ”

Words by Jack Fletcher

Catching The Waves – Rodent Style

admin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:07:52 +0000

Hilarious pictures show the incredible Radical Rodents – real mice who can surf the ocean on tiny scaled-down surf boards.

For full story and pictures:One image shows daring Peanut arcing across a rolling wave while Skidmark actually races along tucked inside a ‘barrel wave’ – just like a pro.

Boat builder Shane Wilmott, 39, hand crafts miniature mouse-sized replicas of real surf boards and teaches his amazing troupe of pet mice how to master them – on tiny wavelets near to shore.

Side-splitting video also shows the images are no camera trick – with the amazing creatures travelling several metres on their little boards. They are even able to turn on the boards while travelling by shifting their weight.

Aussie mouse lover Shane, who breeds mice in his Gold Coast home, said: “Contrary to popular belief mice are actually unbelievable swimmers so if they come off they are fine to paddle around until I collect them.

“A lot of people ask me if fish are sharks to them and worry they might get eaten. Gulls are actually a more realistic threat so I have to stay close by to make sure my guys are safe.

“But I made a promise to myself that if one of my mice gets hurt I will stop. I only do it because I feel they are safe. These guys aren’t just my pets, they’re my mates too so I care about them a lot.

“It’s a really stimulating way for them to live. Much more than just being stuck in a cage all their lives.”

Shane taught his first mice to surf 25 years ago when he was a teenager.

“Me and a few mates were hanging out at the beach and watching these perfect little waves form close to shore.

“I remember wishing I was small so that I could have a go on these perfect specimens and then it hit me that a mouse on a tiny board could.”

Shane recently had the urge to redevelop the boards and using his boat building skills now makes the best miniature surf boards in the world.

The surfing mice even have their own beach hut © MARK CLIFFORD / BARCROFT MEDIA

He has since taught eight-month-old males Rocket, Peanut, Skidmark and Banzai all the skills they need to manoeuvre on breakers at the beach.

He said: “I teach them how to do it in the bath at first so they can get used to their custom made boards.

“Once they’ve got some confidence we move out to the pool in my back yard and tow them using a remote controlled boat.

“That gets them very proficient travelling at the speed of the little waves at the beach and then they are ready to do it for real. While Shane and his boys are out on the waves, huge crowds gather in amazement.

“People can’t believe it,” added Shane. “They see the tiny boards but they don’t realise there are real mice actually riding the waves until they come over for a look.

“It really makes people smile.”

Words by Liam Miller

Extreme Diving In Sanctuary For Sharks

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:07:06 +0000

It is one of the world’s most shark-infested patches of water yet this lagoon off Fiji manages to draw hundreds of divers every year.

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For most people the possibility of coming face to face with up to 50 hungry sharks in one dive would be enough to have them rooted to dry land, but there is a breed of nature lovers who get a thrill from being that close to the deadly predators.

And as these photographs show, they are as beautiful in their natural environment as they are lethal.

© ALEXANDER SAFONOV/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD

They were taken by underwater photographer Alexander Safonov while on a diving trip to the Beqa Lagoon south of the Fijian island of Viti Levu in May.

He said: “There is always something for adrenaline seekers. Divers on the shark reef can expect to see at three to four species of shark on each dive.”

Beqa Lagoon is one of only a handful of shark sanctuaries worldwide, set up to protect the many species nearby from the harmful effects of overfishing on their food supplies.

When the work began ten years ago divers might only expect to see five sharks on a dive, but now thanks to efforts to attract more to the lagoon by dumping fish stocks around the natural reef, it is usual to see 50.

Now there are at eight shark species in the lagoon with at least 100 bull sharks, a few resident tiger sharks and hundreds of white tip and black tip reef sharks.

The bull shark is known as one of the most aggressive living things on the planet, with the highest level of testosterone of any animal.

Safety is a constant concern. While on the whole diving in these shark-filled waters is incident free, guides from Beqa Adventure Divers, which organises the dives, keep a wary eye on all activity in the area in case danger strikes. “It’s as safe as shark diving can be,” said Safonov.

“However photographers looking for close up images will take extra risks and move closer to the action, but usually they are protected by the guides

“Photographers need to prevent chance of body contact with sharks by all means, often using their camera as a natural barrier between the sharks and themselves. “Sometimes sharks need to be pushed away, and if some aggressive individuals are in the area photographers are moved away from the action.”

Words by Ben Cooper

Meet The Amazing Swimming Elephant

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:55:07 +0000

Gliding gracefully beneath the crystal clear waters this Asian bull elephant cuts a mystical figure.

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Weighing 3.5 tons and standing at just under four metres, meet Rajan the last swimming elephant of the Andaman Islands near the end of the Bay of Bengal.

Photographed by Cesare Naldi, this amazing images show the unique bond between 60-year-old Rajan and 58-year-old mahout (elephant driver), Nasru.
In one spectacular scene Nasru is seen balancing on the animals tusks as the elephant took a breather from powering his four-ton frame gracefully through the water on his morning swim.

This particular image and resulting series was enough to win Cesare first prize in National Geographic’s International Photography contest in December of last year.

World renowned for his ability to swim, Rajan and Nasru have become something of a fixture at their home on Havelock Island, which is part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the tropical Indian Ocean.

“I took the pictures during the early morning around 8am as Rajan crossed the short distance between beaches on Havelock Island,” said American based Cesare.

“I had approached Nasru and Rajan’s owners at the Barefoot resort on Havelock to see if they would let me spend time alone with Rajan, as he usually swims with groups of eight or so paying customers.

“I wanted to capture the intimacy of the relationship between Nasru and Rajan.”

Setting off from Radha Nagar beach, Cesare was around 300 feet out in around 15 feet of water when he observed the graceful swimming that Rajan has become known for.

“When Rajan stepped into the clear blue sea I was already into the water, with my scuba diving equipment,” said Cesare.

“He stayed for some time with his legs into the water, then he started to walk away from the shore.

“At some point when his feet lost contact with the sand he started to swim.

“I was really surprised by the speed of his legs and how he could actually swim.

“I felt like he never lost eye contact with me, while I approached him closer and close to take better pictures.

“Another thing that captured my attention was that he spent most of the time with his head underwater breathing just through his long nose, which looked like a periscope.

“I never felt in danger, even if sometimes I got really close to his feet, which he was moving very fast, especially when I was taking the silhouette shot.

“Sometimes I had the sensation that he was swimming toward me while I was taking the pictures, so I had to move to the side to avoid my camera to touch his nose or his tusks.”

Spending two hours with Rajan, Cesare captured the experience on his Nikon D300 underwater camera.

“I did not ask the mahout to stand on Rajan’s tusks,” explained Cesare.

“It was around half way across the water to the other sandy shore and Rajan seemed to slow down for a rest.

“Nasru sensed this and so stood on his tusks and placed his hand on his head as if to say ‘take a breather’.

“It was a very touching moment and a great shot.”

After a long campaign to raise enough money to save Rajan from being moved to the Indian mainland in 2008, the elephant enjoys a semi-retired life on Havelock Island.

Occasionally swimming with groups of paying tourists, he is one of the last surviving elephants who helped with logging on the Andaman and Nicobar Island chain.

“Swimming and taking pictures with Rajan is a unique lifetime experience, and I feel like I was really lucky to have such a great opportunity,” said Cesare.

“Today every time I look at the pictures of Rajan I tell to my self: “If an elephant can swim, what can’t you do?”

Tourists Fear For Their Lives As Great White Encircles Their Boat

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:14:07 +0000

A British tourist received the shock of his life when a deadly Great White Shark started circling his fishing boat close to a beach.

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Brian Bell, 47, an electrician from Stockton-On-Tees, Middlesborough, has been visiting his uncle Ray Theuma, 56, in Melbourne, Australia, for the past four weeks.

They took a fishing trip to Port Phillip Bay on Friday to catch Snapper fish – but almost became breakfast for a five metre long Great White.

The killer shark has never been seen in the bay before and has caused shock waves across the country because of how close it was to a popular beach.

Brian, who returns to Britain on Tuesday, said: “It was 8am and we were just getting ready to go home.

“I looked round and saw this shadow in the sea heading straight for our boat. At first I thought it was a dolphin, but as it got nearer I saw it’s fin and realised it was too big for a dolphin.

“I turned to my uncle who realised exactly what it was. He was trying to keep calm but I could tell he was frightened. He just kept telling me to stay still, don’t panic and not to do anything silly.”

He added: “The shark circled us for 10 minutes. It was the longest ten minutes of my life. I was just in shock. I think because I was in so much shock, that I didn’t get hysterical.”

The pair were in a 4.6 metre long fishing boat and they say the shark was bigger than the boat.

Brian said: “It brushed up alongside the boat three or four times.

“The only place I’ve seen a Great White before is in Jaws the movie, or in documentaries.”

Uncle Ray Theuma, 56, a health and safety officer, said he had never seen a Great White in that area before.

It was spotted just seven kilometres from Altona Beach.

After ten minutes, the shark simply swam away leaving them unscathed.

Brian said: “The best thing I did was to take pictures because no one believed us when we got back to shore. They thought we were joking.

“Then I showed them the pictures and that’s when they realised we were telling the truth.

“My only regret is that I didn’t get any video. I’ve just bought a new mobile phone and didn’t know how to switch it to video mode.

“When it left us after ten minutes, I was sort of hoping it would come back, just so I could get video. But my uncle told me we were not going to hang around to see if it returned. He was adamant about that.”

Brian said he couldn’t wait to tell his friends in Middlesbrough.

He said: “I sometimes go fishing in Whitby and I can tell you one thing, there are definitely no sharks there.

“When I came out to Australia I told my uncle I wanted to see a kangaroo, a shark and a snake in the wild.

“I saw the kangaroo straight away and now I’ve seen a shark. I’ve not seen a snake but there are a few days left yet.”

He added: “Now it’s all over I can appreciate what I saw. It was amazing. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Experts say the water temperature is ideal for sharks and that there is an abundance of bait fish enticing them further in to shore.

Nick Kirby, from Melbourne Aquarium, said an increase in fish populations after the tightening of fishing permits recently could attract more sharks into the bay.

He said: “What you’ve got is a temperature in the bay which is a great temperature for a cold-water animal if it wants to speed up its metabolism and have a feed.

“I would suggest it’s going to be a long summer given how early the temperatures have peaked.”

Words by Jon Kaila

Leopard Seal Devours Penguin

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:46:26 +0000

This beautiful but deadly leopard seal – with its mouth wide open displaying its two-inch long razor sharp teeth – looks like it’s saying cheese to a camera.

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Photographed in the shallows of Antarctica’s freezing Southern Ocean by daredevil snapper Amos Nachoun, the 12 foot long beast was spotted as it hunted down its penguin prey.

Captured in its full glory in February of this year, the agile leopard seal of Pleneau Island near Port Lockroy is part of a group that congregate each year on the Antarctic Peninsula to feed.

“These are sleek and violent hunters,” said ex-special forces member Amos.

“The leopard seal is a canny operator, he will ambush his prey in a skillful manner by waiting in silence at the bottom of the shallow channels that run along Pleneau Island.

“They will then launch themselves at the unsuspecting penguin and grab hold of its feet.

“Using their immense grip the seal will then hold the penguin under the water until it has drowned.

“In one of the most visceral acts that I have seen in wildlife photography the leopard seal will then take the penguin to the surface and shake its body to a pulp before eating it.

“They do not like to eat the penguins feathers.”

Photographing one of mother nature’s nature’s most brutal scenes is not an easy task.

“We travel for four days from Ushairi on the southern coast of Argentina in a sail boat at the height of the Antarctic summer to get to Pleneau Island,” said Amos.

“The air temperature can peak at around 10 degrees and the water temperature can fall as low as minus one.

“As such we must use dry-suits with thermal insulating layers to ensure that we can enter the water.

“Using these we can stay for up to one hour in the sea with the seals.”

Because of the dangers of diving in the icy Antarctic, experienced Amos has a different respect for this type of photographic expedition.

“Antarctica is a final frontier,” he said.

“Only very experienced divers who have excellent buoyancy could be prepared for this type of dive.

“They must understand that they face not only the danger from the seal, but from the water and climate too.”

For Amos diving with any leopard seal is always daunting.

“In the water, most associate sharks with danger,” he said.

“But when divers with me see the intelligence, agility and size of the leopard seal they can become nervous.

“I explain that they must not encroach on the seals space and not to provoke it into any unwanted action.”

Even though Amos has dived with Great Whites and photographed polar bears from three feet away, he still is in awe of the leopard seal.

“They are impressive hunters,” he said.

“They are the only seal that is capable of attacking a human being and as such need to be treated with due respect.

“I have seen them throw themselves onto rocks during a hunt into the middle of a group of sitting penguins. They ignore all the others around them and chase the one penguin that they are tragetting.

“They are single minded, decisive and want the particular prey that they have chosen.”

Words by James Nye

Sperm Whale Eats Giant Squid

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:43:29 +0000

They are creatures of the deep immortalised in fictional bestsellers like Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick and Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – but these ultra-rare images of a colossal sperm whale feeding on a giant squid are the real thing.

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Making their gigantic prey seem small – because of their own incredible size – the captivating pictures show adult sperm whales feasting on a huge squid thought to be incredibly between eight and 10 metres long.

In awe of the doubly-rare spectacle of seeing five adults teaching a hungry calf how to catch a supersized meal, the team who witnessed it measured one of the dead squid’s tentacles – a leftover scrap – at a jaw-dropping three-and-a-half metres long.

Experts now think they could be some of the rarest pictures ever captured below the ocean surface.

Underwater photographer Tony Wu witnessed the pod – five adults and a juvenile – devour the mammoth squid near the Ogasawara Islands in Japan earlier this month.

“It was a childhood dream come true,” said Tony.

“I remember reading Moby Dick and the kraken scene from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, dreaming about what it would be like to see a sperm whale eating a massive squid in real life.

“Of course, in reality the animals are not quite so ridiculously over-sized, but it was an adrenaline-inducing sight to witness.”

Sperm whales are the largest toothed whales in the world, inhabiting every ocean on the planet.

Researchers estimate that more than 110 million tons of squid may be consumed by the species every year.

However with feeding depths ranging beyond 800 metres deep, this behaviour has rarely been recorded.

On this once-in-a-lifetime occasion Tony was lucky enough to see the adult whales appearing near the surface. Fulfilling a dream, he witnessed them teach their calf to dive into the deep blue waters to feed on its prey.

“This is extremely rare,” said the 42-year-old.

“I had seen one video with sperm whales feeding on giant squid but I am not aware of anyone else who has documented this behaviour.

“Of course, I did not see the whale catch the squid at depth. I only saw the whale at the surface with the squid in its mouth. They brought it up from the depths”

Accompanied by underwater photographers Eric Cheng and Douglas Seifert, Tony entered the water to photograph the animals with permission from local whale watching authorities.

“The group kept diving and resurfacing with the larger whale carrying the squid in its mouth,” said Tony.

“They kept repeating the scenario and it was a good opportunity to get them on film.

“It seemed as if the adult whales were trying to teach the baby to dive and also to eat squid.

“Female sperm whales are known to raise calfs in a collective manner and they have strong family units.”

Cephalopod expert Dr Mark Norman confirmed the images give a rare insight into the feeding ritual of the sperm whale.

“It is incredibly rare to record a sperm whale with a giant squid actually in its jaws,” said Dr Norman, Senior Curator at the Museum Victoria, Australia.

“The region is famous for sperm whale aggregations and their regular dives to depth in this canyon system.

“I know of one previous record of a whale returning to the surface with squid remains in its mouth.

“This is the site where Dr Tsunemi Kubodera of the Tokyo National Science Museum deployed a baited still camera at 800 metres and got the only live animal shots of giant squid in its natural environment.

“The potential matrilineal teaching of calves is a wonderful thing to think of.”

And Dr Norman thinks the group may have been teaching the youngster to use its built in sonar – echolocation – to find food at depth.

“As echolocation is pivotal for sperm whales finding their prey, it is not out of the question that the females would release the dead squid at depth and let the calf echolocate and recognise it in the dark deep water, typically around 800 m deep.”

For Tony, whose work has taken him from Papua New Guinea to Colombia and Costa Rica, the encounter was a once in lifetime experience.

“It is something that only a handful of people have ever seen,” he says.

“I’ve experienced unique connections with many of the subjects I photograph, from the smallest of fish to the largest of cetaceans, so I consider myself extremely fortunate.

“There’s always a risk in trying new things, going places that aren’t well explored, working with animals that aren’t well understood. But the rewards can be spectacular.”

Words by Jack Fletcher

The Great Sardine Run

admin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:22:56 +0000

It is billed as the greatest natural predatory show on earth and from these stunning images it is easy to why.

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Encompassing diving gannets, sharks, dolphins and Brydes Whales this is the increasingly rare and unpredictable sardine run.

Underwater photographer Jason Heller travelled to the wild coast of South Africa this July to capture the unique predatory extravaganza.

Amazingly for Jason, who has been involved in underwater photography since 2001, this was his first experience of the feeding frenzy.

“It was something I have wanted to do for several years,” says 35-year-old from New York.

“It is the largest predatory event on earth, yet scientists know very little about it and its simply unpredictable.

“Apparently the wildlife gods were smiling on me because during the limited five days on the water, we had four days of some of the most intense action of the season and possibly even the last few years.”

Likened to east Africa’s buffalo migration, the ‘run’ sees sardines spawn and migrate from the cool waters of the Agulhas Bank, south of South Africa, northward to the warmer waters along the east coast.

Shoals are known to be four miles long and one mile wide, and are clearly visible from the surface of the ocean.

Harried by packs of predators and swept in by the action of the waves, the sardine shoals are penned close to the shore.

Working together, up to 1,000 common dolphins arrive from the open ocean to drive the shoal towards the surface.

Protecting themselves from this onslaught the sardines form into giant balls called ‘bait balls’ which can measure as large as 65 feet, or 20 metres, in diameter.

Thanks to the dolphins the sardines come within the diving range of the gannets who swoop into the water like white arrows shooting into the sea leaving hundreds of white bubbles behind them.

Next to join the frenzy are the sharks who get very excited when the dolphins are around.

For Jason, who has led underwater expeditions from the Caribbean to the Galapagos Archipelago and Southeast Asia, the 2009 Sardine Run was simply indescribable.
“The entire experience of being amid this predatory event was humbling and moving,” he describes.

“There was an energy and an excitement level underwater that is simply indescribable. Before you even get into the water you can feel it.

“We look for Cape Gannets dive bombing a concentrated area from the sky. Once in the water, you can feel the reverberation of the birds hitting the water , like small explosions constantly around you. There is a constant chirping of dolphins from every direction.

“It was surreal.”

As the frenzy continues walls of bubbles drift upwards which are released by the dolphins working together in teams. They use the bubbles to coax the sardines into ever tighter groups.

The sardines seldom cross the wall of bubbles and crowd closer together. Known as bubble netting, this enables the dolphins to grab every last sardine.

Just when the feasting appears to be almost over Brydes Whales appears to gather up any remaining sardines.

“What seems like a frenzy is actually more like organised chaos,” says Jason.

“The sharks, dolphins, birds and whales interact with the bait ball independently of one another.

“The exception is every species’ dependency on the dolphins co-ordinated efforts to bring the sardines to the surface and create the ‘bait balls’ in the first place.

“The dolphins are the driver of the entire event, and they are omnipresent.

“While the dolphins clearly pack hunt and communicate with each other, the sharks have a clear pecking order that is understood among the seven species that hunt the sardines – size matters.

“The bigger sharks come in first, and the rest follow.”

Using micro light planes to try and spot and relay the co-ordinates of the masses of fish and dive bombing gannets.

But for three of the past five years, the cold current has not arrived, and neither have the sardines, as they are unable to tolerate water that is warmer than 20 degrees Celsius.

Jason plans to return to South Africa for the 2011 and 2012 sardine runs.

“The sardine run requires preparation, patience, focus and endurance. It is unique in every regard,” says Jason.

“The sardine run has by far been the most unique experience I have had so far.

“To swim among more predators on one dive than most scuba divers will witness in their entire lifetime is something that I am truly grateful for.”

Words by Jack Fletcher

Mechanics Cross Cook’s Straight In Amphibious Van

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:04:46 +0000

Two mechanics have amazingly navigated one of the most dangerous sea channels in the world – in an amphibious van.

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Motor heads Dan Melling and Adam Turnbull, both 23, converted an old banger worth just £200 and successfully crossed choppy Cook’s Strait in New Zealand, which links the country’s North and South Islands.

Inspired by UK show Top Gear the duo, who build and repair planes for the New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF), crossed the 45-mile choppy stretch of the South Pacific on Sunday in just nine-and-a-half hours.

To make their Toyota Townace seaworthy the crafty pair made it watertight with welding and silicone sealant and removed the engine from under the bonnet before placing it in the main cabin.

Steering was made possible with a propeller, rudder and tiller taken from an old boat and fitted to the back of the van and drive shaft.

And in a stunning feat of mechanical wizardry the floating van was able to cruise at a steady five knots.

Dan, from Auckland, said: “We had both been stationed in a small town while we were doing our senior training for aeronautical machinery and had a lot of time to kill.

“We watched an episode of Top Gear when Jeremy Clarkson and the boys crossed the English Channel in a converted Nissan and we thought ‘we can do that’.

“After several beers we convinced ourselves this would be a good task while we were bored with nothing to do out of work.”

The dedicated pals, who started their project in March spent just £960 on the conversion and raised most of the money through sponsorship from local businesses.

They cast off from Waikawa Bay, near Picton, South Island and landed at Mana, near Wellington, North Island.

Dan said: “Some dolphins came and joined us for part of the crossing, swimming alongside us and jumping out of the water.

“They were pretty inquisitive. I don’t reckon they had seen wheels before.”

The lads are now selling the van and after an initial offer of just 40p, the bids have soared to an astonishing £2,800.

Words by Liam Miller

Up Close With Lemon Sharks

admin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:11:44 +0000

Open wide! Staring down into the lens, these extraordinary images of
feeding Lemon sharks are a sight to behold.

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Captured near Tiger Bay in the Grand Bahama Bank, underwater
photographer Eric Cheng has spent the last eight years getting up
close and personal with sharks of the Bahamas.

Diving in a feeding frenzy with up to 30 lemon sharks, Eric places his
lens inches from the open jaws in order to get these spectacular images.

“Its always exciting,” says the 33-year-old Taiwanese-American.

“Being in the water with thirty or more lemon sharks can be a little
intimidating at first. They swarm all around you, and in some cases,
will actually come close enough to bump into cameras.

“It’s strange because it’s easy to have a false sense of security with
lemon sharks.

“I have to constantly remind myself that they are also large animals
with sharp teeth.

“Although nothing is likely to happen, it’s important to stay alert
all the time.”

Distinctive by their two dorsal fins, Lemon sharks (Negaprion
brevirostris) are can grow up to ten feet in length.

Synonymous with the tropical waters of the Bahamas, Eric will spend
weeks at a time attempting to get the perfect shot.

“Underwater photography is all about being as close as possible,” he
says.

“I have been going to the Bahamas to photograph sharks since 2002
because it is one of the best places on the planet to photograph large
sharks.

“It’s typical to photograph five or six species of large sharks in a
single trip.

“Most of these shots were taken mere inches away from my camera’s dome
port (the glass element at the front) as lemon sharks are baited in
with fish.

“We bring the scent of food to the sharks and them swim in over and
over again.

“Although they look aggressive because their teeth are visible, (even
when their mouths are closed), they are calm in temperament.”

Despite their menacing demeanour, Lemon Sharks mainly feed on bonefish
and molluscs, though have been known to attack smaller sharks, rays
and sea birds.

Even so, Eric is careful not to place himself in unnecessary danger.

“The split images showing the shark’s face out of the water are taken
at the surface because its a bad idea to be at the surface when sharks
are in the water,” says Eric.

“It’s a vulnerable place to be, and sharks almost always investigate
floating things.

“In the past, I would simply stand on the “swim step” at the back of
the boat, which sits in a few inches of water.

“We tie fish scraps onto fishing lines (no hooks) and bait lemon
sharks in as close as possible.

“When one opens its mouth to “snap” at the fish, I take the shot.
These snaps literally last a fraction of a second, so timing is
critical.

“Recently, the technique has been changed.

“These days, all surface shots of lemon sharks are done via “polecam”,
with cameras mounted at the end of long poles.

“This prevents any possible accident.”

Aside from this photpgrahic exploits, Eric is the editor and publisher
of Wetpixel.com, and is technical advisor and photographer for Sea
Shepherd Conservation Society.

In October, Eric be travelling to Japan on an expedition to photograph
sperm whales.