As the festive days wore away, I made my way to Flinders pier where I was hoping to dive once more with the weedy sea dragons and the large rays that frequent the location. It was a mild summers day and there was little to no wind to be had, which left the ocean almost glass like, except for the infrequent tell tale ripples that formed as the breeze brushed upon its surface.
Browsing Tags life
Appetite For Destruction
I often think about different ways to portray my thoughts. Sometimes it is in well chosen words, whilst other times what I have to say is possibly a little intense. Today I would like to very simply challenge you to think a little about life in general and our role in the survival of the planet upon which we live. Humankind is one of the most intelligent creatures on this planet, but we are not so smart really. Over time we seem to have forgotten what our early ancestors believed, where they hunted for, or collected food as and when they needed it and they rarely took more than they could use without waste. Now, it seems that the lifestyles we lead have meant we have forgotten that important rule, and that some within in our society have determined that they need more and will take that at all costs. The indiscriminate killing of any life form, because it gives us pleasure, is not an acceptable scenario. As a matter of fact, it is at the least something we would frown upon if we were the prey.
Life, Death And All In Between.
Nature and all its wonder is a part of our lives in most every place we look. It gives us the colours in the leaves that flutter in the trees on a warm summer’s day, the currents that flow across vast oceans, interconnecting creatures and places. There is much speculation that human kind is at the forefront of what is happening throughout the world from a climate perspective, and to some extent that is true, but nature is the much needed beast that fights back in so many ways, grappling to maintain the equilibrium that has always existed. I have a strong belief that unless we act now in a responsible manner where we, the human race recognise the need to treat life and what we have respectfully, that nature will be the only winner and it will fight back with a vengeance. We have only one planet and how we care for it, how we respect it and the other creatures we share it with will determine our future.
Grace And Majesty
Hello to all those that follow my blog.
Today I began day two of a holiday upon which I have a list of items to film and share with you. I have very quickly put together a short amount of footage that captures the grace and majesty of one of my favourite creatures in the ocean. The Manta.
What Equipment Do I Use?
The opening question is posed by me and is to be read as you asking for advice, and I will remain as unbiased as possible whilst giving suggestions, at the same time explaining my gear choice and thoughts. This is a bit of a step away from my blog to date which has focused on sea life and ethical behaviour, but in reality it all merges into one along the way.
I have been an amateur photographer for more than 30 years, and during that time I have had many experiences, good and bad. I have taught photography for the last 18 years, and have done so using the skills and knowledge, along with those experiences, to give what I think is very important advice on capturing images and the equipment used. There are many techniques that people subscribe to when capturing images, and each one can have its success or failure which is governed by the ability of the individual to apply themselves. There are some very basic so called rules that apply to all situations, but then in general, the final images are the interpretation of what the individual sees.
One Heart Beat
Last night I took my first solo dive for some time now, as I drove from work to Flinders Pier where I have dived a lot lately due to the weather conditions. As I walked the pier to check out water clarity, I noticed small schools of fish in the shallows which had me thinking. For a lot of people diving is associated with going to a substantial depth to see things that will marvel, and to some extent they are correct. For me however it is about the pleasure of being immersed in the water, at any depth that covers my head, and being separated from the normal world whilst floating freely in this beautiful, serene watery environment. I have dived Flinders over a few years now, and like most places you become familiar with what life is under the pier, and you notice the gradual changes, for better or worse. Read More →
Life To Death To Despair.
I think about the last few weeks of my life and what it has all been about. I wonder as I look back at my first thought that everything happens for a reason, and as I do I again wonder about life.
How this mad world turns on a dime and then my thoughts all come together for me to formulate and understand what it is all about, at the same time understanding that much of life happens in the same way as things unfold and revolve, and how through it all lessons are learnt and new wonders reveal them selves. I still remember my excitement as I watched a small shark feed on discarded fish that lay on the sandy floor below the pier, and how for a fleeting moment I felt like I was invisible, or was it that the shark truly knew I was no threat? Then within a week I witnessed death as the same shark had been caught and dispatched, with the remnants of its body being thrown to where I would stumble upon them, left to understand that all things will end, and that sometimes it is not nature that plays its part, but the hand of man that controls so much of what hangs in the balance as if dangling before me on a fine thread. Read More →
Some Things Happen For A Reason
Each weekend I look forward to going for a dive. As you may have read previously, I will dive twice on a weekend where whether and circumstances permit, so after making a choice to have a relaxing morning with breakfast and coffee and not rushing to the water, my wife and I casually made our way to the much loved Flinders Pier.
It was a glorious sunny afternoon, and the tide was coming in, with low winds making it near perfect for a dive. I unpacked and set up my wife’s gear and then began to do mine as she put on her wet suit. Oh, yes, wet suit. That neoprene garment that I was having difficulty finding, before realising it was still hanging up at home waiting for me. Now to say I was upset was an understatement, and to utter a reply to my wife, “NO, I DON’T WANT TO GO FOR LUNCH, WE CAME ALL THIS WAY TO DIVE.” made it very clear of the head space I was in, and besides, today was the day that the whale in my dreams was going to come in. So we packed the gear up and headed off to find a store that my have some sort of wetsuit that I could wear. Read More →
Octopus Free Flight
Today was the usual Sunday Dive Day, well sort of. We had just completed a trip to the Great Barrier Reef with its 24 degree water and abundant fish life, and on that trip we made several new friends. The opportunity had arisen for one of those, Andrew Schulze, from the UK to sample what we had to offer. Flinders Pier was the location of choice, with the opportunity to show him the Weedy Sea Dragons that it is so famous for. Read More →
Inspired By The Sea
Having just spent several days living on a boat in the middle of the sea, where sponge and coral covered rocky outcrops lie just beneath the waters surface, and where they trail to a kilometre or more into the darkness where light does not penetrate, I reflect on the wonder that is the ocean.
The clarity of the water, the diversity of the fish life there and the ebb and flow that is nature that sees them live in the mutual harmony which is what life is really about. Taking each breath then slowly releasing the bubbles, watching them tumble towards the surface, as if this is not a place they belong, you begin to appreciate how lucky you are. Many things come to mind and the deep respect you get from watching these creatures cautiously swim, with the odd one raising just enough courage, Read More →