Robert's Ramblings

This little guy from tonight's night dive was a real treat to play with. I believe it is Rhynchocinetes australis but it could also be Rhynchocinetes kuiteri, so please drop me a note if you know for sure. For other underwater adventurers, calling it a shrimp will do nicely.

The water is getting colder, but that simply means fewer people in the water and less silt in front of the lens. As much as I love taking people diving, there is nothing like having a little bit of space when wielding a camera.

A night dive is always a great way to prove to all the 'sensible' onlookers that the world is full of people doing crazy things. So, who'd actually want to be an onlooker on a beautiful calm moonlit Edithburgh night? Yes I agree too, the world is full of people doing crazy things!

Until the next post, take care out there, keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/60s at f/8 ISO100 Lens UWL100-28AD, Inon D2000 Strobe

Every once in a while someone very special comes along who reminds us how wonderful our world is and how dreams really do come true when you desire and believe. Little 13-year-old Rachael from California is someone who came into my world and did just that.

When she was 12, Rachael first met a Leafy Seadragon at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. A couple of months later they were gone and that day Rachael made a decision to learn to dive so she could see them for herself where they live here in Southern Australia. Rachael had already overcome quite a few obstacles in her life and she took on this new adventure with 100% conviction.

In January, Rachael certified as a Junior Open Water Diver. Last week, Jennifer and I took her for her long-awaited dive with the "Dragons". It was a wonderful experience getting to meet Rachael and her mum Susie. The weather stayed calm and the visibility was not too bad at around 3-4m. In all Rachael saw between four and five Dragons on her epic dive - but nothing will ever top the look in Rachael's eyes when that very first Leafy Seadragon came into view.

Until the next post, take care out there, keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) and remember that dreams REALLY DO come true ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/90s at f/2.8 ISO100 Lens UWL100-28AD, Inon D2000 Strobe and Natural Light

This week's photo is relic from the archives, my very first photograph of a Leafy Seadragon, Phycodurus eques.

I was just starting out with digital underwater photography and keen to hone my skills using a 3.2 megapixel auto snapshot camera I paid $200 for. I used this little camera solidly for 18 months taking thousands of photographs. In that time I learned so much about that little camera and how to squeeze every last ounce of performance from it.

I still use this camera from time to time, especially when snorkelling. Well actually it's not the same camera as the original one met an untimely demise off the coast of Kangaroo Island but that's a story for another time!

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath Olympus C350 1/100s at f/14 ISO400 Internal Flash

Ok, nothing to do with diving but something to make your life more enjoyable all the same.

Don't you just detest the way this pesky little message keeps re-appearing every 10 minutes after you do a Microsoft Update! Has it every been the cause of accidentally trashing all your open work? Here's how to change it to remind you once per day so you can keep working and keep your sanity.

Start / Run / gpedit.msc / Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update / Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations (if you need more detail than this you probably should not attempt it)

You can configure how often it will nag you, or completely disable it. Now for the bad news... This does not work for Windows XP Home Edition and you will need to restart your computer ( or restart the Automatic Update Service for the techies ) for the new setting to take effect.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep updating your computer ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Well it seems that unless you can eat it no one bothers to give anything a common name so Ceratosoma amoena will have to do.

This shot is a classic example of having the wrong gear and making the best of it. All set up for wide angle, I came across this wonderful little guy no more that 15mm long. Removing the wide lens did not help as I simply could not get close enough.

Ok, time to compromise. Super-macro mode on the C5060 shuts down the flash system but at least allows me to get close enough. So now I am close enough but it is 20m down with no source of light! Using my largest aperture and the slowest shutter speed I could manage resulted in this 'not too bad' shot. Just imagine what the colours must have really been like. Oh, well... next time

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/8s at f/3.5 ISO100 Lens Internal Super-Macro Natural Light

This Blue Devil, Paraplesiops meleagris seems quite at home here in the silty wreckage of the S.S. Clan Ranald. One of our most beautiful (if not one of our grumpiest looking) local inhabitants, the Blue Devil finds itself at home in caves, under deep ledges and of course in conveniently located shipwrecks.

It was one of those dives where the visibility was not really good enough for those classic panoramic wreck shots but I still wanted to capture the feel of the wreck. Photos inside nooks and crannies don't usually work out that well but this time I got lucky. Placing my camera down into a hole and around the corner I took this shot completely blind. I believe 'The Force' was strong in me that dive!

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/30s at f/8.0 ISO100 Lens UWL100-28AD Inon D2000 Strobe

The Rough Bullseye, Pempheris klunzingeri. is endemic to all Australian temperate waters. Usually seen in caves or under ledges around inshore, rocky reefs to depths of around 20 m. The species is also known as Klunzinger's Bullseye.

This was such a picturesque image I had to capture it on a recent dive on the wreck of the Clan Ranald. At around 20m and in an area of strong tidal currents, 'The Clan' is a magnificent dive and well worth the effort to get to. Arguably South Australia's best historic wreck dive, the S.S Clan Ranald sank in 1909 with the loss of at least 36 lives. The site has been declared an historic shipwreck under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and is fully protected.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/45s at f/3.5 ISO100 Inon D2000 Strobe and Natural Light

Erna's Basketstar, Astroboa ernae is one of the most amazing starfish you will ever meet. Found almost everywhere in Australian waters from temperate to tropical and down to around 50m.

Basketstars love reefy areas with strong currents so they can hang on while feeding. At rest, a star may be no bigger than a large fist but when out feeding may extend up to a metre across with arms outstretched and feeding tentacles extended.

This guy was a delightful treat to find at the end of a recent dive on the Troubridge Point reefs. Not far around the coast from Edithburgh, Troubridge Point offers a wonderful wild and rugged alternative to the usual cosy jetty dive!

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/45s at f/3.5 ISO100 Inon D2000 Strobe and Natural Light

This photo taken last night should have been called "Master of Disguise" or "Guess What". Peering closely amid the algae and the silt you will see a Short-Head Seahorse, Hippocampus breviceps. This photo is an excellent example of how these little guys make themselves virtually invisible to both predators and photographers.

The Short-Head Seahorse is very common in the waters of southern Australia. They love areas that have good weedy habitat and can generally be found attached to seagrasses, sargassum weed and amongst the growth on jetty pylons. They can also be found in sponge gardens, especially on sponges in deeper water. They often occur in small groups and at night time they can be found congregating high on the weed to avoid predators. They are known to feed on small species such as mysids. They can be found from shallow water to at least 15 metres deep. They breed on a monthly cycle throughout summer and produce about 50 to 100 eggs in a brood. The Short-Head Seahorse grows to a maximum size of approximately 10cm.

Yes, as you guessed it we had a sensational Easter at Edithburgh with some great diving and great photos too, so stay tuned for more.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/45s at f/6.7 ISO100 Inon D2000 Strobe

It's amazing the things you almost swim past without seeing!

We were at 20m and I spotted a sea cucumber down at 30m which demanded my photographic attention. No sooner had I positioned myself for a photo when an adjacent rock transformed into very put-out cuttlefish wanting to be photographed instead! Notice the orange lump in the bottom left of the picture, that's all the attention the sea cucumber got!

The Broadclub Cuttlefish, Sepia latimanus is the second largest cuttlefish species after our local Giant Cuttlefish Sepia apama, growing to 50 cm in mantle length. This guy is widely distributed in Northern Australian and Indo-Pacific waters and is the most common cuttlefish species on coral reefs. Please checkout CephBase for more information.

Also notice the sea grass in the background? Sea grass at 30m you ask? It turned out to be Garden Eels and yet another wonderful photo opportunity.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/30s at f/4.8 ISO100 Inon D2000 Strobe

This absolutely stunning nudibranch Chromodoris annae was one of the photographic highlights of our trip last year to Milne Bay, PNG.

This little guy is often found on open rock walls and reef faces where it feeds on aplysilid sponges. This photo was taken on a section of deep exposed reef at about 20m.

A quick look around the Web will show that this is one of the most photgraphed of the tropical nudibranchs. Have a look at SeaSlug.info for more info.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/45s at f/5.6 ISO100 Inon D2000 Strobe

This Lined Dumpling Squid, also know as a Striped Pyjama Squid, Sepioloidea lineolata is all of about 5cm in length and a very cute inhabitant of my favourite dive site, Edithburgh.

There is some confusion of the distribution of this little guy ranging from a wide Southern Australian distribution through to local to Edithburgh only. I will keep an eye on this one and see where the consensus goes.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/180s at f/3.5 ISO200 Natural Light

The Horned Blenny, Parablennius intermedius, is a wonderful little critter which abounds in reef, pylons and other structure all around Australia.

I had a rest day from diving today so a group of us just went snorkelling at Port Noarlunga with the snapshot camera. This cheeky little guy kept us entertained for quite some time as they are real posers!

I will be teaching again over the next couple of weeks so the camera will have to stay dry for a while. Don't worry though, I have plenty more photos to post.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

Jennifer spotted this Blue Swallowtail SeaSlug Chelidonura hirundinina all of about 20mm in length while diving off Luadi in PNG.

Closely related to Nudibranchs, this Opsithobranch lacks the characteristic cephalic tentacles and branchial plume of its close Gastropod relative. It is however every bit as stunning. Have a look at SeaSlug.net for more info.

Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert

The comet is getting dimmer as it moves further and further from the Earth so only a few more photo opportunities to go.

This photo was taken tonight at our local beach at around 10:30pm and it shows the comet near the horizon looking back onto Henley Beach Jetty.

I promise to start posting more aquatic photos again soon.

... Robert