NSFW - transparent swimming

[Nick_H]

LOL, guilty as charged, your Honour.
But you're not suggesting that I'm alone on that, are you...?

Of course not, but yourself and jfm are definitely the grand masters, the rest of us are amateurs in comparison

 

[MapisM]

Mmm... Maybe, but neither of us ever thought of building and installing plates for at anchor stabilization, just as an example...

 

[jfm]

Mmm... Maybe, but neither of us ever thought of building and installing plates for at anchor stabilization, just as an example...

LOL

Great video MapisM and very nicely edited. (I have hardly taken my GoPro out of the box, but you've inspired me to start using the thing!)

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

And the only preparation required is in opening and cleaning,

Easy to say but how do you handle them to open them? As you know urchins are v common in Croatia and you don't even have to dive to get them as they are all over the rocks at the waterline but I've never seen them on a restaurant menu. However I knew they could be eaten and I've often wondered how. My SWMBO likes these culinary challenges; she once attempted to cook 2 live lobsters whilst we were bouncing across the E Channel at 20kts
I will pass on any of your advice to the SWMBO and I'm sure she would try them. And I would too, but probably about 30mins after she has

 

[MapisM]

Easy to say but how do you handle them to open them?

Hang on for a while, I'll take a pic of the secret weapon for you.
In the meantime, I can confirm you that at Konoba Triton in Lastovo you can get a very good (no, wait, you can call it an EXCELLENT, by Croatian standards) dish of spaghetti with sea urchins sauce.
At least, they used to make it, though IIRC you won't find it in the menu and you must ask for it.
And they can only make it outside peak season, because picking and cleaning the things is a rather time consuming process...

 

[MapisM]

Ok, here's the hi-tech thingie. Pretty much self-explanatory, innit?
Mind, it costs an arm and a leg as you can imagine, but you know, the last time I still had something left in my boating budget, I had to choose between this and an AnCam.
And I just couldn't resist opting for what was clearly the most essential and elegant of the two equipments...
I'd gladly send you one, if you're willing to sign a NDA.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I can confirm you that at Konoba Triton in Lastovo you can get a very good (no, wait, you can call it an EXCELLENT, by Croatian standards) dish of spaghetti with sea urchins sauce.

Fantastic recommendation by you, Mapism, thanks although you could have mentioned the spaghetti at the time!

Instead they fed us lobsters which we had to go out into the bay to choose from their net (I always think that's a bit cruel, condemning a lobster to death whilst it's looking at you)

Pity about the crowds but this was mid August!! Yes I know the fenders are a mess but that's the lousy crew's fault

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Ok, here's the hi-tech thingie. Pretty much self-explanatory, innit?

Well thats the business end of the story. I noticed the diver was wearing gloves for the dive. Are these special gloves? Is it better to go deeper for them or are the ones near the surface just as good? How easy is it to tell apart the males and females? What happens if you eat a male? Do you just put them in any old bag? Will doing this mess up my teak deck? Is it safer to make the SWMBO eat a few first?

 

[MapisM]

Fantastic recommendation by you, Mapism, thanks although you could have mentioned the spaghetti at the time!

Sorry M, I wouldn't have thought that this stuff is as unknown as I'm understanding from this thread.

Thanks for the pics, it's great to see places that bring back nice memories.
Zaklopatica Bay is actually the last bit of Croatia where we have been, back in 2006, while on our way to circumnavigate Italy, heading towards Sardinia.
Below a few pics of what we had for dinner, together with the great sunset offered by the very same spot.

 

[MapisM]

Are these special gloves?
Is it better to go deeper for them or are the ones near the surface just as good?
How easy is it to tell apart the males and females?
What happens if you eat a male?
Do you just put them in any old bag?
Will doing this mess up my teak deck?
Is it safer to make the SWMBO eat a few first?

Ok, in the same order of your Qs:
- nope, leather sailing gloves are good enough
- afaik, the depth doesn't make any difference
- relatively easy, it takes just a little bit of practice. They are all very dark, but as I said only males are really black
- you actually can't, because even if mistakenly you grab and open a male, you will not find the yellow/red(ish) eggs inside
- normally a net bag is what people use, but anything strong enough to hold them would do, I guess
- nah, just open and clean them (with sea water, NOT fresh water!) on your swim platform and rinse it
- LOL, shouldn't normally be the cat to serve as a guinea pig?

 

[scubaman]

Very nice M, the waters do look stunning! Never been to Sardinia but definitely intend on going there sometime soon.

I'll have to get the u/w case for the gopro too.

 

[MapisM]

Yep, also my GoPro is the 2 version, whose standard case, according to their claims, is waterproof to 60m.
But in practice it's useless underwater, because its rounded lens makes any u/w video blurred.
I understand that the standard case is fine also for u/w usage on the 3 model.
Otoh, the 2 u/w case does work very well.

A small hint, knowing that you're a diver: you might be interested in the very unique possibility to dive together with literally HUNDREDS of big bluefin tunas.
This is possible here where I'm based, but only from beginning of May to mid of Jun, 'cause that's the time of the year when it's possible to dive inside the big net chambers used for fishing these huge (and very tasty ) animals.

 

[BartW]

Mother of god that is clear water! Can we expect this on the dive cruise in Sept/Oct?

having experienced the cristal clear water in south sardinia myself last year,
I must admid that this is probably the clearest water I've ever seen in the med,
but don't worry, the visability in crowded SOF is good.
also the variaty and quantity of underwaterlive is very good,
different but equally good like in Sardinia

 

[BartW]

A small hint, knowing that you're a diver: you might be interested in the very unique possibility to dive together with literally HUNDREDS of big bluefin tunas.
This is possible here where I'm based, but only from beginning of May to mid of Jun, 'cause that's the time of the year when it's possible to dive inside the big net chambers used for fishing these huge (and very tasty ) animals.

and I can confirm that this was a really exiting experience,

in the nets were also some sun fishes and turtles, which we realeased to freedom,
also the visit to the old traditional tuna farm (village) was interesting.

 

[scubaman]

Yep, also my GoPro is the 2 version, whose standard case, according to their claims, is waterproof to 60m.
But in practice it's useless underwater, because its rounded lens makes any u/w video blurred.
I understand that the standard case is fine also for u/w usage on the 3 model.
Otoh, the 2 u/w case does work very well.

A small hint, knowing that you're a diver: you might be interested in the very unique possibility to dive together with literally HUNDREDS of big bluefin tunas.
This is possible here where I'm based, but only from beginning of May to mid of Jun, 'cause that's the time of the year when it's possible to dive inside the big net chambers used for fishing these huge (and very tasty ) animals.

The fish here are few and far between and almost always smaller than my dive knife, so that sounds truly incredible!

I too have the 2-version and the standard case is a bit of a joke being useless underwater as you said.

 

[MapisM]

that sounds truly incredible!

Yep, I know it does...
Glad to help with suggestions, booking etc. if you wish to become another believer!
And needless to say, we might take the opportunity to go boating together and show you some of the spots I occasionally post here.

Though for the tuna dive it's already too late I'm afraid. The next opportunity will be in May/Jun 2014.
Btw, it might well be NOT possible anymore by then, and if it will, it might be one of the last chances.
In fact, this traditional type of tuna fishing is rather expensive and requires a lot of manpower (as opposed to very big fishing boats which use the so called "flying nets"), and there are ongoing talks about abandoning it completely...
Otoh, the good news is that since the timeframe of the tunas passage is off season from a touristic viewpoint, there's no need to book flights etc. much in advance.
Usually, by Mar - beginning of Apr at the latest, they decide whether the nets are going to be installed or not.
And if it is, surely they also organize the dive with the tunas, which for them is obviously a way to earn another crust, on top of the catch.

 

[scubaman]

Thank you, I appreciate it! I hope to be able to take you up on the invite some day!