Why just look at an aquarium - pt.3

[MapisM]

Yeah, I know, I know...
You already saw the first and the second of these threads, and you might have had enough of crystal clear and warm Med waters.

But this is the last for this season, honest. All the equipment is washed and stored, and the boat will soon be on the hard.
So, I won't bother you further with these boring clips for some months.

Otoh, I'm looking forward to bothering you again a bit next year, hopefully with some better video equipment.
In fact, I'm thinking to get a GoPro HD Hero2. I've seen some amazing full HD clips, and considering that it comes with a 60m waterproof housing, at 299 bucks it's reasonably priced, too.
If anyone can report some hands-on experience on the thing, I'm all ears!
I'm particularly interested in low light situations, because I fear that the results might be much worse than those of the usual outdoors clips with surfing, skydiving, etc.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Firefly625]

yes, very nice Mapis. Now get your blooming boat out the water and give us a break!

 

[BartW]

But this is the last for this season, honest. All the equipment is washed and stored, and the boat will soon be on the hard.

nice clip Mario,

pls tell, do you use your beautiful CNA for diving ?
how do you prevent eventual damage from the tanks, or from the equipment ?

 

[benjenbav]

Wow, super stuff! What sort of fish is that with the two distinct sorts of patterning at 1.19, please?

 

[scubaman]

In fact, I'm thinking to get a GoPro HD Hero2. I've seen some amazing full HD clips, and considering that it comes with a 60m waterproof housing, at 299 bucks it's reasonably priced, too.
If anyone can report some hands-on experience on the thing, I'm all ears!
I'm particularly interested in low light situations, because I fear that the results might be much worse than those of the usual outdoors clips with surfing, skydiving, etc.
Thanks in advance!

Thanks MapisM for another great video! How deep you were in the part where you were filming the bubbles going up (at around 1:30)? 15m? Those caves look amazing.

I don't have first hand experience of GoPro yet but here are two sample vids shot using one. Considering how dark the waters are here (and comparing to shots I've taken with an older camera), I think GoPro is doing s decent job.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150301568056069

Here's another from the red sea:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150292652366069

 

[MapisM]

yes, very nice Mapis. Now get your blooming boat out the water and give us a break!

LOL, why was I expecting a comment along those lines?

 

[MapisM]

how do you prevent eventual damage from the tanks, or from the equipment ?

Actually, for dives I mostly go with a local diving center, also because the owner/instructor is a friend of mine.
They have a nicely equipped RIB, and a helmsman who stays onboard, which is very convenient for drift dives.
But whenever I must handle tanks or equipment on my own boat, I'm afraid there is no magic trick...
Everything must be handled with extreme care!

 

[MapisM]

Wow, super stuff! What sort of fish is that with the two distinct sorts of patterning at 1.19, please?

Yep, in the Med there are indeed some very colourful fishes, which you would only expect to find in tropical seas.
Below is the pic you're talking about, together with some other examples.
The Italian name is "Donzella", though actually I've always heard also the second of the fishes below called with the same name.
After a quick check on this very comprehensive table, I can now confirm you that the scientific name is Thalassoma Pavo, but don't ask me also the English version...

 

[MapisM]

How deep you were in the part where you were filming the bubbles going up (at around 1:30)? 15m? Those caves look amazing.

Ab-so-lu-te-ly. And the clips don't do them justice at all, swimming inside them is a surrealistic experience!
They're actually a tad deeper, with the entrance at 16/17m and a max depth of 24m.
Easy dive anyway, because the spaces inside the caves are very wide.
Below is the profile, I think it gives an idea of how interesting the passages are...!

Thanks for the GoPro links, interesting stuff.
It's definitely much better than my camera, which is not bad for pics but only so and so for clips.

 

[Firefly625]

LOL, why was I expecting a comment along those lines?

I didn't want to let you down..

 

[AndieMac]

But whenever I must handle tanks or equipment on my own boat, I'm afraid there is no magic trick...
Everything must be handled with extreme care!

I thought you might have a small cage set-up, lowered into the water with the dinghy crane.........like the way you have launched large dogs previously

Nice piece of footage M, there's something quite soothing about watching diving videos.

 

[MapisM]

I thought you might have a small cage set-up, lowered into the water with the dinghy crane.........like the way you have launched large dogs previously

LOL, actually she is (the dog, together with her owner) a civil protection rescue member, and had a proper life vest with harness, so it was easy to lift her with the passerelle...
With scuba gear and divers, "lowering" them into the water is never a problem, 'cause you can just jump in.
Returning onboard can be harder, depending mainly on the ladder arrangement.
But I guess that Bart's concern was rather related to storing and handling tanks, weights, etc. onboard - my reply was along these lines, anyway.

there's something quite soothing about watching diving videos.

I couldn't agree more. Have you ever tried diving?
If not, you should. Just imagine those video sensation, when "fully immersed" (so to speak!) into the live scenario...
...Even the most impressive professional video is nowhere near the real thing!

 

[AndieMac]

Have you ever tried diving?
If not, you should. Just imagine those video sensation, when "fully immersed" (so to speak!) into the live scenario...
...Even the most impressive professional video is nowhere near the real thing!

I only snorkel M, after an accident with my eye socket, and was advised not to 'equalise', and so just stay within a couple of metres of the surface, but know what you mean though.

I imagine Bart may have to think about increasing the size of a more utilitarian type boarding platform to cope with the frequent activity of heavy gear changing at water level, considering the operation is on a commercial basis .

 

[MapisM]

Sorry to hear of your accident AM, but there's plenty of fantastic spots where you can see most of what the U/W world has to offer, just looking under the surface. The other two videos I previously posted were all taken while snorkeling, in fact.

Yep, I suppose that if Bart thinks to regularly use BA for diving, and particularly if he thinks to do that with guests rather than just himself and his family, it's probably worth strenghtening in some way the swim platform. And maybe also the cockpit. Teak decks are not designed to throw scuba tanks on them.

 

[FredBMOC]

Hi, Mapis, very nice videos!
I bought the 1080p Hero HD for a month sail in French Polynesia early this summer and the quality of the videos is very nice without the need to even film at the full 1080 resolution. For underwater footage you will want to get one of the flat lense cases that are sold by independent vendors which reduce the blurriness of underwater pictures, just search on google for gopro blurry fix. Go pro supposedly will have it's own fix coming out sometime in the future but for now it seems that you have to go aftermarket.
Next summer I'll do videos of Bahamas dive locations and post them here to accompany your videos

 

[vas]

I didn't want to let you down..

why do I have a feeling that MM was actually fishing for FF comment?

mind you M, what do you expect to get from the guys in freezing, tidal, dark and miserable waters?

Although I have to say that you are clearly lying and these photos are NOT from the Med as for the last 47yrs I've being around here (OK a bit eastern than you claim) I've not seen the fish depicted on the first three photos (the blue tiny ones are indeed local...)
So tell us where you got them, probably tropical aquarium in Rome or something! Shame on you. I'll join forces with FF and others to ban you from posting images and videos

 

[thomshap]

This was my first dive with a Go-pro......

 

[MapisM]

I have to say that you are clearly lying and these photos are NOT from the Med as for the last 47yrs I've being around here (OK a bit eastern than you claim) I've not seen the fish depicted on the first three photos (the blue tiny ones are indeed local...)
So tell us where you got them, probably tropical aquarium in Rome or something! Shame on you. I'll join forces with FF and others to ban you from posting images and videos

Hehe, I see what you mean, because I've also never seen them in many years of cruising and swimming in the Adriatic.
I suppose that even if the climate conditions aren't so radically different throughout the various areas of the Med, they're still different enough to favour (or not) the growth of some specific species.
Anyway, on top of my word, I can only post the original pics from which the three above were cut.
In one of them, you can also see the fin of a diving mate, which you would hardly find in a tropical aquarium....
I can also throw in a 4th pic, where you can see a couple of those colourful "Donzellas" together with a very typical mediterranean moray.
Other than that, I can only invite you to come for a dive around here...
...I usually hit the water again by May at the latest, 6 months with no boating is more than enough for my tastes!

 

[MapisM]

This was my first dive with a Go-pro......

Well, the quality of the video as such is not impressive, but I suppose you were at some distance from the subject, weren't you?
Otoh, the subject is indeed impressive!
Some friends of mine, after hundreds of dives, also in tropical seas, never had the opportunity to swim with a whale shark.
Actually, I also saw it just once, in the blue, rather far from us.
And unfortunately, we were on the bottom of an atoll pass with some strong current, so the local dive master didn't want to risk leaving the bottom to try and reach it...
Stunning animal indeed, anyway.

 

[Firefly625]

why do I have a feeling that MM was actually fishing for FF comment?

mind you M, what do you expect to get from the guys in freezing, tidal, dark and miserable waters?

..............

So tell us where you got them, probably tropical aquarium in Rome or something! Shame on you. I'll join forces with FF and others to ban you from posting images and videos

Mapis's videos drive me crazy, for all the reasons you state. The fact you have now confirmed something I often suspected, that he actually takes a load of the film and stills from some aquarium somewhere is even more reason to get these banned.. at last some support, thanks virtuvas!! Lets just hope MBY are listening!