DIVE LOG DECEMBER 25 ISSUE 415

consideration for the wide range of abilities we see in certified divers visiting the area, some operators insist on divers being guided by a local diving professional. At the other end of the table, some allow solo diving, especially if you can prove you are highly experienced in local waters and don’t just have the card. Most of the day boats offer a choice of three 45-minute scuba dives or two longer dives at two different sites. Additionally, all the vessels also offer magnificent snorkelling for guests with a wide range of abilities. Between dives the crew typically serve an amazing smorgasbord lunch with lots of choices including special diet requirements. As one operator told us: “we put a lot of effort into our lunches as no matter how good the diving is, we will get a bad rap on TripAdvisor if the lunch is crap”. On the way back to port most of the boats are licensed to serve beer and a choice of wines. Of course soft drinks and snack foods are always available. But while out on the reef, drink alcohol and you remain onboard and for some that suits them fine. It is all about having a great day of your choosing, isn’t it? So your scuba gear is sorted and ready, and you’re looking around feeling relieved that’s all done. But being an underwater photographer brings on further challenges. Leading up to the dive day, you look at the weather forecast, the tides, the likelihood of a very clear viz day, or not! So do you choose a wide angle port for the underwater housing to take full advantage of a very clear day, or will it be a portrait or macro day? Decisions, decisions photographers must commonly make on which lens and corresponding port to put on their housing! As soon as you rig up for macro, guaranteed you will see that Manta Ray, Whale Shark, or Tiger Shark and of course Blue Spotted Rays, Moray Eels, Barracuda, White Tip Reef Sharks and Turtle encounters are very common.

Likewise, with a wide angle set up you will get frustrated at seeing those beautiful little box fish, an amazing variety of nudibranchs, whip coral blennies, etc. This is where my (Cathie) housing is fantastic. The wet lens available for my Nauticam housing allows me to switch to wide angle, or portrait or even macro while underwater. Meanwhile, I (Terry) am stuck with whatever the decision I make. That is, to use either my Nikon 105 mm Micro for portrait and macro photography or the 10 mm fisheye for super wide-angle. At the end of the day we both get some stunning photos and even better memories. After departing the dock around 8:30 am, enjoying complimentary coffee, tea and muffins, experiencing the mandatory safety briefings, maybe even taking a nap, the comfortable two-hour voyage to the reef seems to just fly by. On reaching the dive site you kit up. Tanks and weights are supplied, or even a full kit if you do not have your own gear. Then the fun begins and then there is that solo diving thing. We jump in together, do our own dive, meet at the safety stop at a predetermined time and egress the water together. This dive procedure provides a big case for solo diving certification, especially for serious photographers. We are not talking about swimming along with your buddy capturing the moment with a GoPro. We are talking about the type of photography that needs time to set up shots and will bore the living day lights out of any buddy that must stick around and just watch you do your thing. Meanwhile, the big question is: “who is watching your buddy while your head is stuck in the camera viewfinder”? Any photographer will know what we are talking about and a great reason to think that serious photography, solo diving and lots of logged dives do go hand in hand and are not mutually exclusive. If you want

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DiveLog Australasia #415 - December’ 25

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