Underwater Research Group of New South Wales
Presidents Slate
Hello again. Late as usual, but with exciting news to deliver. The boat is back! Thanks to all the hard work from Josh, Vishal, Hatty, Jens, John Swift, Pablo and all our generous donors. Josh deserves a special mention as he has really really led the charge on this and given out a shocking amount of personal time to make sure we're good to go again.
To the donors and helpers, we are going to offer the maiden voyage as a thank you. Watch out for email invites once we secure a convenor.
Nominations have now closed for the 24/25 committee. We have two new additions and couple of people passing the batten, so make sure to be at the AGM on Saturday to find out what is going on there. Speaking of which, the date and venue is as follows:
Shelbourne Hotel on Sussex Street. We have the Lounge North area reserved. This is close to Town Hall station or there are three Wilson car parks within a block.
Time: 12.30pm
If anyone is looking for something to do on Friday and fancies a night of short films related to Marine Parks, come join myself and Sarah at the Bondi Pavilion from 7pm. The Australian Marine Conservation Society is hosting. Tickets are free, and after the short films, we're both going to be part of a panel discussion along with Robert from the Gamay Rangers and a couple of others. We'll be sharing with the audience the work we do with URG, Spot-a-shark, The Saving Norman Project and the String of Pearls. Hopefully we'll sign up some new members along the way.
I always try to include a photo with The Slate to prove that I still dive, but this time I'm sharing a video. Below is an encounter I was please to capture of a spiny gurnard at Bare Island earlier in the month. That's Lepidotrigla papilio in case Andrew Trevor Jones is reading, and others that also speak Latin.
For those that nerd out on cameras, this was video taken using natural light (no video lights) and manually colour balancing off the sand. Below is what my first video turned out like using the auto white balance that the camera chose for me ... so top tip: save money on lights, which typically scare away the fish, and use the sand !
Looking forward to seeing all of you at the AGM and on the boat.
Cheers,
Duncan
DIVE REPORTS
Raja Ampat
Some members went here. We would love to hear about the experience? Next bulletin?? Nudge nudge!
History Articles
THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Grahame Burns
The Galapagos Islands are located 760 km west of the Ecuadorian mainland on the equator and are composed of 13 major islands, six small islands and 42 islets spread over 80, 000 square km of ocean. The highest point, Vulcan (at 1707 m ) is located on the largest island called Isabela (4,600 sq km). Except for the volcanoes, most of the islands are flat, rising not much more than 50m above sea level. They are the tips of shield volcanoes which poke up 10,000m from the sea floor and are composed of Basalt. The islands are known as a volcanic hot spot and are still subject to occasional eruptions, the last one being in 1982 when Vulcan Cerro Azul erupted with lava flow.
Over the centuries the islands have been colonised by plants, marine animals, birds and reptiles. The plant seeds blew, the marine animals swam, the birds flew and the reptiles are believed to have drifted on vegetation rafts and survived the journey due to their ability to live a long time without food or water.
Having left their natural predators behind, the animals that survived the migration not only thrived but over the aeons evolved new characteristics in adapting to their new environment. As each island had different environments and provided different vegetation the land birds, tortoises, land iguanas and rodents adapted to those individual islands and these days there are vast characteristic differences exhibited between the animals of each island. When Darwin visited The Galapagos in the 1830's he immediately observed these differences which confirmed theories that he was developing based on observations made in Europe, and ten or so years after his visit he published his Theory of Natural Selection propounded in The Origin of Species.
There are two seasons on the Galapagos, hot and wet from January to May with an average temp of 28ºC and cool and dry from May to Dec with an average temp of 20ºC. This season is usually overcast and cloudy due to the influence of the cold Humboldt stream coming up from Chile. The hot wet season is affected by the other current El Nino (the boy child ) which arrives around Christmas time bringing heavy rain and sometimes tidal waves to the mainland. This is of course the same El Nino that affects the weather in Australia. The water temperature varies from about 14ºC 18ºC although when I was there in Nov the temperature was closer to 20ºC which made the diving very pleasant.
Lord Howe
Extract from ‘A Parcel of Islands’ by Walter Deas.
URG bulletin, April 1967
Bob can arrange diving trips, mainly at present in the lagoon and has masks, snorkels, fins, weight belts, tanks and regulators for hire. A half day guided tour for snorkel divers in his boat costs $1.68 and for the scuba divers it’s $3.92 which includes a tank full of air. A reduction in charges can be obtained if a few trips are booked.
March 2005
Placing a plaque on the wreck of the Centurion in Sydney Harbour. URG helping out with NSW Marine Heritage.
Note All ex committee or dive conveners. Denise is still diving with the Group.
Late Night Dive
Tony Wright
The Dive on the Centurion was very good, not a breath of wind, the sea was dead flat although it was 10pm when the first divers went in. On the bottom there was no current, the vis was pretty good, about 5m I guess. The wreck was alive with critters everywhere: wobby, octopus, squid, leatherjackets, nudis, etc. The water was warmer there than the dive on the Colours. You missed a good dive but there is always next time.
Upcoming Events
Sunday 22nd September - Mosman Scavenger Hunt - Balmoral Beach near the Rotunda, 10 am - 2 pm. Speak to Pablo for more info.
Friday 27th September - Clifton Gardens clean up dive with Friends of Chowder Bay supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Please register here.
28-29th September - Go Diving Show ANZ at the Sydney Showground. Please support Sarah Han-de-Beaux on the citizen science stall with a visit or some time assisting!
1-7 October Diving into The Darkness Sydney Premier events. This is an amazing film about Jill Heinerth, cave diver extraordinaire, directed by Sydney-based filmmaker and diver Nays Baghai. Jill herself will be at the Q&A's on 1st-3rd. I'm sure our members will love this movie so I'd encourage you to attend one of the sessions.
Sunday 6 October: Kathy, Sarah and Dariusz are planning to do a boat dive at Nelson Bay, staying in the motel "Melaleuca Backpackers". If anyone wants to join let Sarah know
Tuesday 8th October - General Meeting at the Oaks - come and brush up on your sea slug knowledge in advance of November's Sea Slug Census, 8th November - 17th November
Saturday 12th October - get your hands dirty keeping the ocean rubbish free and join Pablo for a clean up dive. We are meeting at the car park at the picnic area at Illawong point.
Advanced notice: Sunday 3rd November - fundraising sausage sizzle at Caringbah Bunnings, sign up to join me here, even an hour of your time really helps the day go faster!
Dive Log and Oz Diver
Boat Dives
Watch your emails, the Facebook group page for details.
Boat handling lessons.
Get in touch if interested
Editors Note
Published Items. The opinions expressed in the “URG Bulletin” are not necessarily those held by members, or the committee of the URG Dive Club. All material published in the URG Bulletin will remain the property of the original author or artist. Please give acknowledgement when citing articles.
Please check with the author informing them of your intention to republish their material, prior to publishing your article.
Yorumlar