I returned to the US from being "Stuck in Truk" in March of 2022 where I participated in some of the most intense wreck diving of my personal life. I was now looking for the next tower to climb. (See previous "Stuck in Truk" Blog Reports).
After a stop off in North Carolina where I conducted the Wreck•Shark Shootout and a few other shark-centric dive trips, I received an email from friend and fellow photographer Scott Johnson. In short, he said, "Mike would you like to join me in La Paz, Mexico to photograph the Sea Lions of Los Islotes on the Sea of Cortez? I have it all set up." I'm pretty sure I responded rather quickly with an emphatic, "Absolutely". 

The trip was in October of 2022, a time I am told the sea lion pups are old enough to stray out of the protection of "Mom & Dad sea lion" and still young enough to be adorable. I have always wanted to dive and photograph sea lions and have heard plenty of stories and seen enough photos to support my desire to do so. Now another box would be ticked off the proverbial bucket list. 

In short, Scott with his wife Lauren flew into Mexico and we dived with The Cortez Club located in La Paz. The plan was to dive 10 days and spend as much time as we could at the sea lion colony of Los Islotes which is about a 70 minute boat ride from The Cortez Club. You might think that is a long trip but it is well worth it. Trust me. 

My first sight of the guano covered rock outcropping of Los Islotes was impressive as was the strong odor emanating from it. The sound of sea lions barking at each other could be heard over the hum of the engines and the dozens of vultures flying over head reminded me of the harshness of nature present here. Wasting no time Scott and I rolled over the side and swam towards the island. It didn't take long before several females came over to "flirt" with us. I was to understand that touching them was not allowed but didn't hear the part of the briefing that said "unless they seek your attention". One female was nuzzling up to me and I foolishly ignored her. Soon she swam around behind me and gently bit me in the ass for not petting and showing her some respect. I have never experienced this behavior from a non-human before (but humans yes). 

I quickly became enamored with the sea lions and the stare from their sentient eyes. I was hooked. We spent 2 dives at 60 minutes each before starting our way back to La Paz and diving some other sites on the way home each day. Scott and I, before we even arrived here, agreed that we would spend as much time at the sea lion colony as we would be allowed.  As a photographer you don't want to spread yourself too thin. Focus you camera on less subjects for longer periods of time to obtain the best quality images possible. We went back 7 out of the 10 days of our total diving package with each day yielding new experiences and photo opportunities.

By far the most fun I had was diving with and shooting the sea lion pups. Their eyes could melt the hearts of even the most hardened criminal. Photographing them was like trying to get a group of 2 year olds to sit still for a portrait. Frustrating but at the same time delightful.

Sometimes when I was trying to line up a shot I could feel the tugs on my fins. Looking down I would see these impish little eyes staring at me as if to say, "Play with me, now!" They would bite and tug on my strobe arms, my head or any thing else they could get there mouths on. It was too much fun. 

The delighted feeling I had most of the time was occasionally switched off with sudden anxiety when a 600lb bull sea lion would patrol near me to check on his harem of "ladies". The loud barking and bubble blowing was a warning to all us humans. I did as instructed and looked down and away from the bull and moved away from his territory each time this happened. On one occasion I was photographing a female up close. As I was focusing in on her suddenly a black mass with huge whiskery face appeared in my view finder. I believe this bull thought I was too close to his "girl". Although I backed away the bull swam atop me and pressed me into the rocky bottom with his huge belly. After the mass passed by I looked over at Scott and all he could do was shake his head in disbelief. There was definitely a smile beneath that mask though. 

Overall, the experience left an indelible mark on me. It is not often in nature where a wild animal will voluntarily interact with humans in their territory and on their terms and even do so with displays of affection. The sea lions were not just photogenic as stand alone subjects but the background that was the rocky island of Los Islotes made the perfect underwater studio. Composing images that went beyond sea lion portraits was most satisfying. 

The exploratory trip to the Sea of Cortez went so well that I went ahead and booked a group trip there in Oct of 2023. I would very much like to share my experiences with you and maybe help you achieve some great imagery. I will guide you through the process of diving La Paz while staying at a luxury resort and spa. Besides sea lions we will be diving other famed sites there such as wrecks and La Reina dive site to look for mantas, pelagics, eels and much more. It is not just the sea lions. 

Please visit this link that will take you to the trip page in this web site:

https://www.evolutionunderwater.com/la-paz-baja-mexico-sea-lions. 

See complete photo gallery here: https://www.evolutionunderwater.com/p145625210
 

Isolating in Truk Lagoon - (Continued)

(Please read the past blog reports for context.)
Part I of "Stuck in Truk"

Part II of "Stuck in Truk"

Part III of "Stuck in Truk"

Part IV of "Stuck in Truk"

Fujikawa Maru Machine Shop
          After two years of tending to the Odyssey in Truk Lagoon the time has finally come to pack up and head back to the USA (at least for a while). The owner of the Odyssey was able to enter into the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) after an arduous quarantine process that took nearly a month to complete. (The FSM is still closed at the time of this post). With his arrival I can now depart and the Odyssey will be in good hands.

             Using the catchphrase “Stuck in Truk” these past few years made it sound as if I was truly marooned here. The fact is, I could have left at any time but chose to stay. For health reasons, it seemed a prudent decision to not leave a virus free country during a global pandemic. The virus, whose name I won’t mention, has caused hardship for everyone these past two years so it would be wrong of me to complain about my situation here in Truk. Whatever financial losses, social isolation and boredom I have experienced, the world was coping with the same but while also combating the pandemic. Katsuragisan Maru
            As for myself, I have not experienced a single day of wearing masks, social distancing or living in fear of the disease. The FSM did a wonderful job of keeping the virus out and its people safe while they went through the monumental task of vaccinating a population of only 150,000 or so people spread out over an island region twice the size of the US with a land mass equivalent to Rhode Island. Considering the sparse resources and complex geography it was impressive how they have vaccinated more than 70% of its people to date. I was proud to be a part of this effort. The Odyssey was used to deliver vaccines and health care professionals to the various islands in the Lagoon. We just returned from yet another vaccine trip just a few days ago from the date of this post. It was exactly on the 1 year anniversary from the first vaccine trip we ran.

Momokawa Maru Control Room
             When I reflect on the past two years I try to see the bright side of the experience. After all, I did manage to accomplished the most rewarding and complex wreck diving of my life. Dives I had never had the time to attempt due to my obligations as a captain and tour leader. Photographically it was a coup. Not only was the diving awesome but the two people I dived with made it all the more so. I couldn’t have asked for better dive buddies than Keisuke and Eri of Treasures Divers here in Chuuk. With their dive operation also shut down they too wanted to make the best of the time on their hands and explore the wrecks like they had never done before. The three of us dived, feasted and laughed together. We made a great team. It was just what the three of us needed to be able cope out here in Truk Lagoon. I will miss them.

            Although I am excited to rejoin the rest of the world and reboot my life beyond Truk Lagoon, I’m not doing so without apprehension. This is the longest I have stayed in one place continually since 1998 and it’s only natural to feel some angst when lifting off again. My spirit, although restless, has a sedate side to it that is demanding and hard to ignore. However, the wheels are up in a few hours and I'm off to the next stop.

Join Mike on the Truk Odyssey for Rec•Tec 2023 & 2024 

Challenging Dives - Part II

Photos & Text by

Mike Gerken

Read "Part I": "Truk's Lagoon's Top 5 Most Challenging Dives"

Diving the wrecks of Truk Lagoon over the past 20 years has produced many memorable experiences but none as challenging as the top 5 listed in this article. Below are my accounts of the top two. My friends and dive team members, Keisuke Yokota and Eri Umino concur with the ratings in this list. For background and the other top 3 wrecks please see the link above.

#2 The Amagisan Maru

The TelegraphThe telegraph is a key reference for navigating around the lower engine room.             If there is a single dive etched into my memory it was a hair-raising one several years ago on a foray into the heart of the Amagisan Maru. The Amagisan was torpedoed and sank in 190’/58m with the top of the wreckage at 110’/33m. This wreck appeals to divers with a wide range of skills from advanced to expert. However, the lower engine room of this 450’ merchant ship is complex and not for everyone. The ship lays 75 degrees on its port side making it extremely disorienting 3 levels down inside the wreck at 180’/55m. To make matters worse, the visibility is often poor and the stairwells are blocked by debris. The Amagisan Maru Torpedo striking the Amagisan Maru.

            Entering the lower engine room is easy but, like a maze carved out of hedges, exiting is the hard part. On my first “memorable” exploratory dive I become momentarily lost in the hazy water. Losing your bearings even for a mere few minutes at that depth seems like an eternity. Without citing the half-dozen rules I violated let me just say it was complacency that nearly caused my demise. After this humbling experience, I went back to the Amagisan engine room a week later with a proper plan and imprinted the route to memory. It took 3-4 progressive dives to learn this section of the wreck but when I was done it became as familiar to me as my own bedroom.

            Phone BoothOnly remnants of the wooden phone booth remain with the handset at the end of the white cord. There are some interesting attractions inside the engine room and knowing there are very few who have seen them makes the dive more exciting. The telegraph and master controls are within a few feet of each other and are an important reference for navigation. Moving away from the control room there is a decayed wooden phone booth (right photo) with handset, cable and ringer still intact. Of course, the usual racks of gauges, valves, whatchamacallits and thingamabobs are plentiful and cool to look at. Diesel powered cargo vessels were modern technology in the 1930's and 1940's while today it looks archaic. This engine room is one of the largest I have explored and have yet to see it all.

The TelegraphKeisuke examines the telegraph in the hazy engine room.

The ExitKeisuke exits the engine room through the skylight.

Engine RoomThe Upper Engine Room

#1 Aikoku Maru 

Aikoku MaruJapanese merchant raider, Aikoku Maru in WWII.
     

The Control RoomKeisuke and Umi explore the control room in the heart of the Amagisan Maru.
            Thump, thump, thump. “What was that sound?”, I thought to myself while penetrating deep into the engine room of the Aikoku Maru. It became clear after a moment that is was the din of my pounding heart. No other dive in Truk Lagoon has made me feel such a way. Maybe it is the deep depth or the complex penetration or maybe it is the souls of the dead that haunt me.

            This 500’ long merchant raider met a fiery end when the entire forward half of the vessel erupted in a massive explosion during "Operation Hailstone". The blast killed over 700 men and annihilated half of the ship. The upper engine room collapsed but the lower section is partially intact. Navigating to it at over 180’/55m is no easy task.

  Fuel Site GlassesWhat is believed to be sites for examining the fuel.            Of all the dives in Truk Lagoon, this is one that I believe a line reel is mandatory for navigation. Finding narrow exit points in a silt-out can be impossible without one. Pieces of steel disintegrate into a puff of smoke when touched. Visibility seems to always be hazy and deteriorates rapidly every passing minute of the dive. Heavy clumps of rust knocked loose from our venting bubbles rain down from above. The silt inside is so fine that an over-zealous fin kick can cause a plume 6 feet away. For these reasons photography is an after-thought while diving deep in the engine room of the Aikoku. Focusing too much on it can be hazardous under these circumstances. The images in this article took 6 dives to obtain. That is a very low ratio of dives to photos.

Silt OutEven the most gingerly of divers will suffer silt outs like this one in the Aikoku Maru.             Adding to the adrenaline deep inside this eerie wreck are the site of human remains scattered about. On one dive, I clamped off a light and turned it on for a photo opportunity. The powerful beam shined directly onto a skull nestled in the silt about 6 feet away. It was staring directly at me. I quickly adjusted the light and pretended it didn’t happen. Getting rattled in these conditions is not in ones best interest. Many of the human remains were reclaimed by a Japanese dive organization in the 1980’s but it evident that not all were removed. There is rumor that a further reclamation project is planned in the future but I’m not aware of the status.

            The Aikoku Maru lower engine room is the most intense dive in Truk Lagoon; at least it is for me. Although all of the dives and photos obtained in this list required serious planning with high risk to accomplish, I would do it all over again. It was the challenge that made it worth doing.

Special Thanks

          I wanted to say thank you to Eri “Umi” Umino and Keisuke Yokota from Treasures Dive Shop here in Truk Lagoon. Like myself, Keisuke and Umi (which means Ocean in Japanese) were stuck in Truk during the country wide shut down. Together we accomplished some of the most exciting dives in Truk Lagoon and we did so without incident. Both have shown exemplary patience and professionalism. I was fortunate to have divers of their skill level in front of the lens. Thank you Umi and Keisuke! I look forward to future dives together.

Disclaimer

            If you desire to dive one of the top 5 most challenging dives in Truk Lagoon, please do not arrive and expect to be able to do so without a lot of pre-planning. For one, most dive operators will not take a diver that has not displayed adequate skills on basic dives prior to attempting these more challenging ones. A certain level of familiarity or comfort level with a diver is required. This takes time; time which most visitors do not have. Contact your operator and see what can be arranged.

            In addition, you will likely need to charter a private boat to bring you specifically to these locations. A dive boat may run into the problem with divers who do not have the skills requesting to follow a team who does. “if they can do it, why can’t I” paradigm.

            Lastly, each of you reading this should be honest with yourself and determine if you have enough experience to conduct technical dives such as these.

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Photos & Text by Mike Gerken

The Dive TeamEri Urmino on left who goes by Umi which means Ocean in Japanese; Keisuke on right and the author center.
The wrecks of Truk Lagoon have something to offer every level of diver. From the newly certified to the advanced technical diver, Truk has it all. However, this list is not about the simpler pleasures that Truk provides. This is about the most challenging dives I have personally encountered in the past 17 years working here as crew, captain and photo-pro on board the M/V Odyssey. Due to the closure of Truk these past 10 months, I have had the opportunity along with fellow Truk dive pros, Keisuke Yokota and Eri Umino, to explore the wrecks in ways we have been unable to in our long careers working here. We were experienced, calculated and methodical in our approach and above all, we came to trust each other’s abilities on the leisurely dives before attempting the more challenging ones. By writing this piece I did not intend to promote or encourage others to attempt these dives on their own. I am simply sharing my explorations and photography with you. I hope you enjoy them.

#5 Reiyo Maru – Lower Engine Room

            Due to severe bomb damage splaying open the wreck, the lower engine room of this merchant vessel is not particularly difficult to enter or exit. It is the max depth of 215’/65M that has secured the Reiyo into the number 5 slot. Depending on your skill set, you may argue that 215’ is not particularly deep but, when your are penetrating in a confined space three levels down with severe silting hazards, the risks increase dramatically. Time is a factor at that depth and you don’t have much of it to deal with a crisis if it should occur.

Reiyo Maru TelegraphOdyssey crew member Dar Hubsch examines the telegraph in the control room at 215'/65.5M. One of the deepest dives in Truk Lagoon.             To date, I have made one dive to the lower engine room with a team of 3 divers in 2019. Two of them were on closed circuit rebreather using trimix while I was on open circuit scuba using air. This depth is about at the edge of where I want to be on open circuit and I aspire to obtain a CCR unit in the future; if for any other reason than to quell the complaints from my CCR buddies about my venting bubbles creating too much silt (which is an undeniable truth). 

            This wreck is seldom visited and the lower engine room even less so. Due to the lack of highlights and extreme depth the Reiyo is not considered a “must-dive” here in Chuuk. With more than 3 dozen wrecks to choose from, she is often overlooked.

Reiyo Maru A massive hole provides a fairly easy entrance into the Reiyo. The upper engine room has much damage.

Bomb Damage

The SkylightsThe open skylights provide a fare amount of ambient light into the upper engine room but most of it dissipates deep inside. The Skylights and air cowling. 

#4 Fumitsuki Destroyer – Engine Room

            Built in 1928, this pre-WWII steam turbine driven destroyer is a rarity in Truk Lagoon if not in the world. It is difficult to determine the functionality of much of the hardware. There are numerous gauge panels, gate valves, voice tubes and main controls complete with a pair of telegraphs to be seen. The photo Fumitsuki engine roomTwin gauge panels in the rear section of engine room. opportunities here are vast but very difficult to achieve. Silting occurs rapidly even with the most well-placed fin kicks. Multiple attempts were made to obtain a mere handful of images.

            Entering the narrow skylight at 120’ into this destroyer’s engine room does not look possible wearing a twin tank configuration so I opted for a single tank. Once inside movements must be made gingerly and contemplatively. There is plenty of machinery and hardware to squeeze past. The “bull in the china shop” approach will lead to possible entrapment and silt-outs. The engine room is by far the most confined space in Truk Lagoon I have dived in. Several fatalities have occurred in here over the years so extreme caution must be used to dive it or simply abstain entirely from entering. Due to the reasonable depth, the engine room of the Fumitsuki lands at number 4. Any deeper and it could have been easily bumped up to the number 1 slot.

Control RoomKeisuke explores the control room complete with telegraphs in the background and these main steam valve controls. The control room.

Voice TubesThis personal discovery came at one of our last dives into the engine room. In the port corner towards the stern were these voice tubes in immaculate condition. A full set of voice tubes.

Control RoomI grabbed this shot of Eri while she was filming the control room. How she managed to get into that spot without silting out the area is a testament to her dive skills. Eri filming in the tight confines of the control room.

Engine Room StuffThe purpose of this tower of valves and gauges is unknown but it is impressive. Engine Room Stuff.

Light BulbThe engine room has many gauge panels such as this one and intact light bulbs.

An intact Light Bulb and gauge panel.

#3  The I-169 Submarine –  Engine Room          

            A crew member of the I-169 failed to close a critical valve when diving to evade air attack. Part of the sub flooded and was unable to re-surface and the crew within all perished. Half of the ship was scuttled by the Japanese command but for reasons unknown the stern section of the vessel remains intact aft of the conning tower.

I-169The Japanese sub, the I-169 in her entirety. To the left is the intact stern and the scuttled bow to the right.

The I-169

            Diving inside the confined remains of a WWII submarine is no easy task. After all, they were not known for their spacious accommodations during the war never mind penetrating a flooded one at 130’/40M wearing a full complement of tech diving gear and carrying a large camera. There is only one other wreck that is more cramped and that is the Fumitsuki.

The Engine Room HatchKeisuke easily navigates through the engine room hatch from astern. This is the easiest of the hatches to penetrate.             Navigating past several tight hatches and hanging machinery requires even more caution as any of the dives in this list. Simply turning around without creating a silt-out is difficult. It is a nightmare for a claustrophobe. In addition, you will want to thoroughly vet your dive buddy before attempting this dive. Dealing with a panicked diver deep inside the sub is a scenario I never want to face. Any crisis encountered must be resolved calmly and quickly on the spot. Egress out of the sub takes at least 3 minutes. We padded this number to allow for complications during our exits. We often had ample time left upon emerging and used it to explore the exterior of this fascinating WWII artifact. The I-169 edged out the Fumitsuki at number 3 due to longer and more complex penetration into the engine room. Any deeper and this dive would be tied for the number 1 spot. Several lives in years past have been lost trying to explore inside the I-169. Some say the ghosts of the crew who perished are to blame for the diver’s demise. The Engine RoomKeisuke and Eri carefully navigate between the two diesel engines.

The Engine Room

Voice TubesKeisuke examines an array of voice tubes with an interesting red paint coating the inside. Possibly antifouling paint.

Voice Tubes

Engine Room HatchA wide angle view of the aft engine room hatch. The Hatch

A Ghostly ShotAnother eerie look at the engine room shooting aft. Ghostly Engine Room

A Tricky ExitKeisuke demonstrates a perfect exit on side mount. The outer hatch, the torpedo loading hatch were photographed through the angled loading hatch. The Exit

The Outer HatchEri is of a smaller size and you can see how tight the hatch is while she exits on side mount. Squeezing through on back mounted twins is tough. The Outer Hatch

The Top 2 most challenging dives to come soon in Part II.

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I-169Intact stern to the left; bow to the right

Composite of the I-169

The Dive TeamEri Urmino on left who goes by Umi which means Ocean in Japanese; Keisuke on right and the author center. The Team

You might think living and working in Truk Lagoon offers me unlimited access to the wrecks and the ability to photograph them the way I want, anytime I want but, that just isn't the case. Guest satisfaction on board the Odyssey always takes precedence over my photography and I always have guests. That was until Truk Lagoon closed to tourism in March leaving me with free time and a long list of shots to work on. I might as well make the best of a bad situation. 

Engine RoomKeisuke (right) and Eri (left inspect the controls and gauges of the twin engines.
Shortly after Truk closed I was fortunate to meet two Japanese dive pros who were also stuck in Truk. Treasures dive operators, Keisuke Yokota (owner) and Eri Umino (dive guide) were eager to join me to dive and photograph the wrecks in a way we have not been able to do because of our obligations to our guests. One such dive on our "to-do" list was the Japanese submarine I-169. Although we had dived the outside of the wreck before, none of us have ever penetrated inside. It was time to make plan.

The I-169

The crew of the historic I-169 met a grizzly fate on April 1944 when the vessel made a routine emergency dive during a US air raid and was to never see daylight again. A vital valve had been left open flooding the control room preventing re-surfacing. After several failed rescue attempts the survivors within perished from suffocation. Salvage work continued for another 6 weeks with only 32 bodies recovered. Not wanting the sub to fall into enemy hands the Japanese command at Truk destroyed half of the vessel forward of the conning tower. In August of 1973 a Japanese salvage team removed the human remains and personal effects of 70 additional personnel and conducted a Shinto funeral in town.

Engine Room HatchKeisuke enters the engine room through the aft water tight hatch. Training 

Due to the confined spaces and a single small hatch as an entrance and exit point, penetrating the I-169 requires advanced training and coordinated teamwork. Eri, Keisuke and later on Norio Kaneko dived with me from the Odyssey tender for several months before we developed a trust in each others abilities. You want to make sure the person next to you inside a metal tube at 130'/40m can handle stress in a situation and not panic. Only after we acclimated to each other did we discuss an attempt at a penetration dive into the I-169; one of the more complex dives we have made. 

ExplorersUmi investigating machinery in the engine room. The Dive

At first glance I knew it would be difficult entering wearing twin tanks and carrying a myriad of photo gear. My two dive buddies wisely let me attempt squeezing through the outer hatch first while they waited safely outside. After a minute of cautious adjusting and wiggling I found myself in the aft torpedo room (which is not particularly spacious). Looking forward I saw another circular hatch that was only half open. Getting through it was even more harrowing than the outer hatches. With some cautious maneuvering I found myself in the circuit breaker room and then the generator room after that. Continuing on and looking forward I saw yet another circular water tight hatch leading into the engine room; the last intact section of the I-169. At this point, perceptual narrowing is taking place and my Communication TubesThis station in the generator room has 6 communication tubes aligned in a row. The red coloration may be a chemical reaction seawater is having with the bronze metal.
heart rate is increasing. There is no quick egress inside a sub. Any problems encountered, such as gear malfunction or entanglement must be dealt with quickly and calmly. I entered the engine room and then paused a moment to acclimate. It is told that the first divers to enter the sub in the early 70's found a pile of bones on top of the engines indicating the crew may have climbed up to reach the last pockets of air as the ship slowly flooded. Thinking of the souls that perished within was not conducive to keeping my cool so I focused the camera and began shooting. Numerous valve handles, gauges, ducts and unknown equipment are at every glance in this complex heart of the ship. The twin diesels were powerful and propelled the I-169 at an impressive top speed of 23 knots while surfaced. Swimming forward between the two behemoths to the control panel yielded a view of a complex array of gauges and plenty of whatchamacallits. With Keisuke coming in behind me, I turned and snapped a few photos while he posed like a pro. 

EgressKeisuke egresses from the I-169 on side-mount through the aft hatches. The top hatch is the outer hull. The lower is through the pressure hull. The photo was shot from the opening of the torpedo loading hatch. The End of the Line

At this point we have come to the end of the line. Continuing on is not possible. The hatch forward of us is partially open leads to a blown up section of the sub. It is now time to turn the dive and head back out through the haze we created from our venting bubbles dislodging rust and silt from above. Despite the three of us gingerly swimming through the wreck, silting is unavoidable. We inch our way along periodically checking on each other. Eventually we see the refreshing glow of sunlight emanating down through the hatch. I now have the confidence that getting out should not be an issue since I already managed to get in. I squeezed through the hatches and popped out the other side as if I was reborn. The feeling of excitement and relief came all at once. 

Umi EgressingUmi fits easily through the narrow hatch using side mount technique. A bit more effort is required with the authors twin back mounted tanks. Umi and Suke exit behind me without incident and conduct our decompression for the next 40 minutes before surfacing. We just completed a complex dive without a single issue and are all elated at the experience. That night we sat around the Odyssey dining table, drinking beer and eating chicken wings discussing our next dive. We were in unanimous agreement. We definitely wanted to go back inside the I-169 to continue our survey and take more photos. 

Conspiring

At the writing of this blog we have conducted 6 penetration dives into the sub yielding one or two images per dive. Prior to each dive I conspired with Eri and Keisuke as to what our goals were and how to complete them. Strategy is important when taking photos under these conditions. Each shot must be taken within a few minutes of entering a room before silting occurs, lights must be strategically placed to offer more details of the environment and we need to choreograph our movements so not to throw off our buoyancy. There is little room for error. 

Engine RoomAn eerie apparition or Keisuke emerging from the haze? Diving the I-169

This dive requires training, years of experience and a calm demeanor to pull off. The Odyssey does not permit penetration dives on the I-169. It will lead to conflict and dangerous copy-cat behaviors with too many divers vying to enter. This dive must be done from a private boat with a dive guide willing to take you in and a dive operator willing to allow you to penetrate. A maximum of two divers at time is recommended; three at tops as long as you are coordinated as a team. Silt outs are a major hazard and peak buoyancy is mandatory! A dive operator may require a period of familiarity with any diver before they will conspire to help you with this dive. That includes me. Please contact myself or the other operators before arriving in Truk and requesting a tour inside the I-169. If I can't help I will try to find someone who can but, I make NO promises!

Join Mike in Truk on the Odyssey for Rec•Tec 2022

Engine RoomA close up of the controls of the starboard engine.

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Isolating in Truk Lagoon - (Continued)

Part I of "Stuck in Truk"

Part II of "Stuck in Truk"

Part III of "Stuck in Truk"

 The scenery from the deck of the Odyssey is quintessential tropical Pacific. The flora covered isles scattered around the lagoon add perspective to the vast expanse of blue water. Fish break the surface revealing evidence of the food chain beneath, a coconut bobs along drifting off to a distance land and the familiar stream of skiffs race by with the buzz of the Yamaha Enduro outboard pushing them along. This form of transport is the SUV of the Pacific. Locals of Chuuk taxi supplies and people back and forth between the islands and the Odyssey lies directly in their path. I sit on deck and watch the traffic and realize that life in virus-free Chuuk remains relatively unchanged during this world wide pandemic. Other than a few Hokuyo Maru Torpedo Hole businesses seen utilizing social distancing rules you couldn't tell there was a killer virus running amok around the globe. The stores are busy and the supplies that fill them arrive on schedule by air and sea. Most seem as content now as they were before the outbreak; that is unless you are employed in the tourism industry. The economic survival of those that are dependent on it is precarious. A recent successful online fund raiser and government financial assistance has helped my crew and their families make ends meet. Now all we can do is scale back, adapt and wait patiently for the FSM to safely reopen. 

Kiyosumi Maru Control Room Until recently, I never considered Chuuk to be my home. It was my place of business; a place to dive but not a home. For those of you who know Chuuk you'll understand it is not the most conducive locale for an expatriate to live. Sure, the diving is world class but what else is there? It took being stuck in Truk during a pandemic to realize that it doesn't take movie theaters and decent restaurants to make life shine here; it takes the absence of a killer virus. To date, the Government of the FSM has been successful in preventing that un-welcomed visitor from stepping ashore. That makes Chuuk a haven. I see life back home on the news and social media and if Chuuk wasn't a paradise to me before, it is now. Facebook was once a place for open discussion and portals into our friends lives but now it's one massive sounding board for the aggrieved. Due to a new perception my attitude has changed where Chuuk however, has not.

I may be away from the distress back home but it doesn't mean I don't care. I just feel there is not much else I can do to make a difference other than social distancing and voting. Come November, I will be taking part in that American right by absentee ballot without fail.  

Shotan Maru Corridor In the meanwhile, I will continue to occupy my days maintaining the Odyssey and spending my free time diving the wrecks. This golden opportunity to photograph them uninterrupted will not go to waste. It's this activity that levels me, gives me a sense of purpose and motivates me to get out of bed. If given a choice, I would much rather be earning my living entertaining my guests aboard the Odyssey and showing them first hand why Truk Lagoon is so famous. However, until the country reopens I can only provide imagery to help keep the excitement alive. 

Photo Descriptions 

Top: Keisuke poses next to the torpedo blast hole in the Hokuyo Maru. This photo shoot took place at 200'.

Middle: Part of the control room on the Kiyosumi Maru

Bottom: Eri and I meet head to head in a narrow dark corridor of the Shotan Maru. 

Join Mike in Truk on the Odyssey for Rec•Tec 2022

Isolating in Truk Lagoon - (Continued)

Part I of "Stuck in Truk" Here

Part II of "Stuck in Truk" Here

As I live isolated in a virus free part of the tropical north Pacific in relative comfort and safety, the hardships many face in the outside world is not lost to me. Maybe some have battled illness and recovered or experienced the tragic loss of someone close to them. Others may be dealing with financial stresses or living in confined conditions that test the love of family like never before. My heart goes out to all of you. I wish there was something more that I can offer to alleviate the stress other than mildly entertaining imagery and a few kind words. Forgive me for my shortcomings. 

Kensho Maru Catwalk As the realty of CV-19 became apparent and engrained in our psyches, I began seeing a wide gamut of behaviors on social media from the inspiring to the heart-breaking and even despicable. I discovered some people showed their best when times are worst while others do not. It is the person who can rise to a challenge and see it through with dignity that I admire. I'm moved by those who overcame the virus itself and literally sing, dance and smile after their recovery. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the self-centered who have little regard for the safety of others never mind themselves such as the protesters preventing health care workers from entering hospitals. I believe that adversity is a part of life. It is how a person deals with it that will define their character. Apparently not everyone agrees with this.

Japanese "Norm"

Diving and photography is my method for maintaining positivity during these trying times. When I need a fix, I visit one of the two dozen wrecks to recharge. Last week I made a few dives to the Nippo Maru (see top photo) and one on a rare plane wreck, a Kawanishi E15K "Norm". This Japanese aircraft along with two others was discovered by the Project Recover organization that was here last year searching for downed US aircraft. It is interesting  to detour from the shipwrecks and explore the various aircraft. They are steeped in history and worth a few dives.

At present, I am grateful that I am not lying in a hospital bed fighting for my life and my family and friends are safe. Prior to this crisis I was at times feeling melancholic and run down. The routine of my job, albeit an exciting one, was wearing on me. Sadly, it took a pandemic to snap me out of it. I am now re-energized, taking on new projects and making new friends including a tennis ball named Spalding. I still struggle with the social isolation out here every day and lose sleep due to the stresses of the times but, if loneliness and boredom are my biggest enemies, then I'm not doing so bad. 

I don't know when I will be leaving Truk Lagoon nor do I know when the country will open back up allowing tourists in. I look forward to that day so I can once again receive passengers on board the Odyssey and share the therapy of wreck diving with them. In the meanwhile, please be safe, stay healthy and encourage others to do the same. We are in this together.

Photo Descriptions 

Top: Suke poses for a photo beside the main gauge panel in the Nippo Maru.

Middle: A composite image of the Japanese float plane "Norm". 

Third down: My newest friend Spalding at the helm.

Bottom: Dive buddies Suke and Eri gathering deco bottles on the Nippo Maru.

Isolating in Truk Lagoon - (Continued)

Read Part I of "Stuck in Truk" Here

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) announced that the present travel ban has been extended until May 31, 2020. The country is still closed and will be for at least another 6 weeks minimum! Come the end of May, the government will re-assess the state of readiness for the arrival of CV-19 into the FSM and decide whether to re-open. They are receiving aid in the form of medical supplies and trying to establish a locale where travelers can quarantine. This ban includes FSM Nationals as well. There are many citizens who cannot return home and are stranded. With that said, this country means to keep CV-19 out at all costs and I admire the leaderships fortitude in doing so. It is in my belief the ban should continue based on what I am reading and hearing from experts, friends and family back home. This virus would cause considerable harm here if it should ever make it through immigration. 

Nippo Maru Engine Room What does this mean for me? It looks like I will continue to be stuck in Truk. With the situation in the outside world as it is, this is a good place to be. There is no virus, supplies are arriving regularly and I was given the green light to go diving. Please don't take this as a form of gloating. I am fully aware of the dire situation in the outside world and wished there was something I could do. It would seem staying put and being one less person in the world to spread the disease is as good as I can do at this time.

I was scheduled to return to the US in mid-May for a photo shootout contest I host every year in North Carolina called the Wreck•Shark Shootout. I haven't cancelled this event yet but if i do, it will be a heartbreaker for me and those attending. Over the past six years the Shootout has been one of my personal highlights where good people come together to share a common love of diving. However, safety is paramount to me and I will do what is best for the health of the divers.

The other issue for me is the ability for a crew member to arrive here and relieve me so I can depart. The travel ban will not allow a swap of personnel. There are many signs pointing for me to stay in Chuuk until the dust settles in the outside world. I should no more as to what to do in the next 10-14 days.

Heian Maru In the meanwhile, I continue to take advantage of this country wide shutdown and dive the wrecks of Truk as often as I can which is about 5 dives a week right now. This unique situation of being the only diver in Chuuk will not go to waste. However, I came to discover this past week two other divers who are also stuck in Truk. Eri Umino and Keisuke Yokota from Treasure Divers, a Japanese run dive center in Chuuk. Suke arrived here from Osaka, Japan some 13 years ago and established Treasure at that time. As small as this island is, I have never had the pleasure of meeting him until last week. I often would spot Suke from a distance when both the Odyssey and his boat would be diving the same wreck. Eri arrived some years later from Tokyo as a tourist and fell in love with the wrecks and has been here ever since working as instructor and dive guide. The three of us set out this past week together to dive the famed Heian Maru, their favorite wreck. The Heian was a luxury passenger liner before being converted for war time use and is a complex ship to dive. The pitch black multi-level rooms and companionways challenge ones abilities to navigate and explore within. These pulse thumping conditions make it all the more exciting. Our dive together was a a great time and we will be sure to do it again soon. Until then, I will keep shooting on my own and hopefully inspire many of you to join me out here one day when there is a semblance of normality in the world once again. 

Please continue to be safe, listen to the experts and stay healthy. We will get through this.

Join Mike in Truk Lagoon.

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Isolating in Truk Lagoon

Scenario

Due to CV-19 Truk Lagoon is closed; the home of worlds greatest wreck diving. Tourists have all departed, the lagoon is virus free, you are the captain of a luxury liveaboard dive boat and it is fully laden with fuel and supplies to last months. The wrecks are all to yourself. What do you do? This is exactly the position I was in and didn't go diving! At least not at first. So how did I end up here?

Background

I spent the better part of January in Japan enjoying my yearly ski holiday while intently following  the development of CV-19. By the time I was ready to leave Japan and head back to my captain job on the Truk Odyssey in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) the virus was beginning to go global. The FSM took a defensive measure early on and adopted one of the strictest travel bans in the world making it difficult for me to return to work in Chuuk. I was required to quarantine for 14 days in a country or territory with no current cases of CV-19 before being allowed in. At the time, Guam had zero cases so I held up there for a few weeks before boarding a flight bound for Truk Lagoon. Upon arrival a small team greeted me wearing masks and acting official and intense. My temperature was taken and I was asked a few questions  about my health. After noting a normal temperature the officer inspected my passport where it was deemed I was 60 minutes short of my quarantine. Yes, 60 minutes! I was briskly escorted away to the VIP room for one more hour of isolation. In actuality, I was 14 days 6 hours in quarantine. After making a protest and demonstrating how many days I was in Guam by counting on my fingers and toes, the examiner said I was free to go. 

I finally returned to Truk Lagoon but, with the absence of my charges. I had a skeleton crew to help maintain the vessel with enough food for a nuclear winter. My days were spent supervising boat projects, tending to personal chores and discovering "Zoom" but, not diving. I'm not fully sure why I hesitated to get in the water. Maybe it was my obligations to the Odyssey that kept me away. Or was it solidarity to my dive friends around the world who were bunkered in their homes and couldn't dive? Maybe it was melancholy festering from an uncertain future at the hands of this killer pandemic. I really can't say for sure but, I snapped out of Kensho Maru Engine Room this momentary lapse of reason and eventually returned to what I love; diving and photography. I didn't see the harm in it and maybe the images I would take would motivate those in isolation and inspire them to look forward to returning to the activities that give life purpose.

Back to Diving

The issue of diving alone for me was not a problem. Trying to set up shots with other divers in the vicinity can be challenging so solo diving is preferred. After a busy day working on the boat, I Shanghai'd Odyssey crew member, Madison Aisek to drive me to a wreck in our tender. After loading up a single set of doubles, a deco bottle and my camera gear we raced across the Lagoon in search of one of the dozens of wrecks to choose from. There was plenty of local boat traffic going to and from town. Without the virus present it was business as usual here. With the exception of a few who are employed in the tourist industry, most haven't been feeling the economic crush as of yet.  After arriving it was as simple as rolling off the back of the boat and dropping down to the wreck beneath me. However, the solitude felt different this time. Knowing I was likely the only diver in the water in the entire lagoon was simultaneously exhilarating and eerie. (They don't call them the "Ghost Ships of Truk Lagoon" for no reason). Within a minute of my first descent a pair of spotted eagle rays swam directly toward me on the Kensho Maru. It was as if they were coming over to say hello and ask me, "where did everyone go". Once they tired of me it was time to get down to business. Photographing the engine rooms of the wrecks is often challenging due to other divers creating silt and thus reducing visibility. So that's where I went. On this day there was no one else to blame but myself if the vis went bad. The experience of having no concerns for other Shinkoku Maru Engine Room divers was relaxing. So much so I nearly forgot to check my instruments. During and then immediately after the dive I felt a sense of relief and satisfaction. What ever wrinkles there were on my soul they were ironed out. While feeling euphoric I asked myself again, "why did it take you nearly a month before getting back in the water?" Since then I have been diving nearly every day but only one dive per day. I plan to keep doing so until it is time to leave Chuuk. 

Afterword

At first I believed the travel restrictions and the reaction to CV-19 were too strict in the FSM. It didn't take long before the facts behind CV-19 became apparent to me and that it was far more destructive than I understood. I also realized my knowledge of infectious diseases and how to combat them was poor. The progressive leaders of the FSM had hindsight and prudence creating the travel ban for their vulnerable island nation. Knowing Chuuk and the FSM as I do, CV-19 would have wreaked havoc on a scale surpassing that of the outside world. The Chuukese people live in tight quarters with many family members under one roof. Practicing social distancing would be nearly impossible never mind counter to their culture. Then add a dysfunctional and ill-prepared medical system as well as a society with numerous pre-existing conditions such as diabetes. It would be a recipe for disaster. 

As of the writing of this blog, the FSM is now closed to all flights including residents desiring to return home. The country is receiving aid to prepare for the arrival of the virus when the doors are reopened. The date when this will happen is not known at this time. Once it is safe to travel again, I will consider boarding a plane and flying 7000 miles through 4 different airports for more than 30 hours. Till then, you know where to find me. 

I am hoping all of you come through these tough times healthy, happy and ready to tackle the problems this pandemic has created. Despite my apparent enjoyment diving solo in Truk I look forward to taking you diving here and elsewhere. If anyone would like to join me in Truk Lagoon or beyond please visit the "Travel" drop down menu at the top of this page. This to shall pass and we will all be traveling and diving again soon.

Kensho Maru Engine Room

Join Mike in Truk Lagoon on board the Odyssey. 

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Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) vs Open Circuit (OC)

Friends of mine who have ventured down the road of closed circuit rebreather (CCR) use are universally asking me when I will get certified on a unit. I have been debating doing so for several years but have yet to pull the trigger. Even though I have been an Open Circuit (OC) diver since 1980 and a trimix diver since 2003, I have resisted the temptation of crossing over to CCR. This blog lays out the Pro's & Con's that are fostering my debate.

Closed Circuit Rebreathers (CCR) have advanced greatly in the past 35 years since I became a recreational diver. (For the layperson reading this, please refer to the link above for an explanation of CCR diving). I'm seeing more and more units appear on the boat I captain, the M/V Odyssey in Truk Lagoon. Truk is an ideal place to practice CCR diving due to the more challenging depths and the rebreather friendly atmosphere of the Odyssey. CCR is a logical path to go for the recreational diver who wants to push their training and experiences further. I believe that the decision to go this route should not be taken lightly. CCR diving has serious inherent risks that go beyond recreational OC diving and one should have all the facts before delving in. Maybe this blog will assist you in your decision making. 

San Francisco Maru Depth Charges Pro's

•Increase bottom time while decreasing deco. As a professional photographer, this simply says that I have more work time in the water per dive on CCR without incurring excess deco. This equates to accomplishing more in one dive on CCR that I could in two or more dives on OC. More work time = more photos = increased livelihood. This is at the top of my pro's list and the primary reason that I would crossover. 

•Savings on gas consumption. The basic concept of recycling your gases with a CCR means consuming less O2 and expensive trimix compared to OC diving. The savings could be as much as 75% equaling hundreds of dollars saved or even thousands per expedition depending on depths and number of dives conducted.

•Accessing deeper dives. It can be debated whether it is safer to do 300'+ dives on OC vs CCR. I will point out that at those depths and run times you will be carrying less gas and bottles on CCR vs OC which means less drag in the water and more maneuverability and less chance for error with gas switches. This is an important factor as a photographer when I'm already carrying a large camera housing with added task loading. My motto is minimalism and CCR's can offer that for deep diving. If you desire to explore deeper CCR could be the way to go. Most of the diving I do is less than 200' so CCR's are not crucial to reach those depths. 

•Silent factor. CCR's eliminate noise from venting bubbles as with OC. This is beneficial to accessing closer proximity to marine life that are normally skittish around OC divers. Getting closer is the name of the game with underwater photography. Closer could yield more impactful images.  

Hoki Maru Con's

•Time. Will you be diving with CCR friendly operators that permit extended bottom times that CCR's make possible? As for me, the answer is mostly no. As a liveaboard captain, I believe that it is not a prudent practice to be off the boat more than an hour or so. If I didn't get the shots I needed on one dive I will be back the next week and the week after that etc. There is usually no stress or shortage of opportunities to collect my images. 

•Maintenance. This is related to the time factor. Just ask any responsible CCR diver and they will tell you that CCR units require diligent time consuming maintenance. Packing and repacking scrubber, checking sensors, repairing micro-leaks. etc etc. I see CCR divers tinkering with their gear more than OC divers hands down. However, they are a hi-tech piece of equipment that warrants this level of care. 

•Discipline. Are you disciplined enough to use a CCR? I'll vouch that there are Control Room Reiyo Maru
many who are not. Complacency is potentially the primary cause of injuries and fatalities with CCR divers (a debatable topic). Diving CCR requires abiding by serious pre-dive checks that are more intense than the standard OC buddy check. I've been witness more times than I care CCR divers doing inadequate or non-existent checks and even by-pass carrying bail-out bottles. This is a recipe for disaster. As a photographer, I can vouch that the task loading of taking UW imagery pulls my attention away from monitoring my life support. CCR diving requires upmost due diligence; more so than OC and I wonder if I will become another statistic due to my photography distractions. 

•Cost. CCR units and training are expensive. You can buy used units or the cheaper models but do you really want to skimp on a hi-tech piece of life support equipment? Do you want to shop around for the cheapest instructor. Not this guy. When all is said and done add another $10,000-$15,000 to your credit card bill. That is a piece of change the average photo pro and dive boat captain just doesn't have laying around. If I could justify it as a business expense, the cost would become less of a concern.

Reiyo Maru Skylight

Photos from top to bottom:

•CCR diver examines a stockpile of depth charges at 185' on the San Francisco Maru in Truk Lagoon.

•CCR divers swimming through the ruins of the Hoki Maru in Truk Lagoon.

•CCR diver inspects the telegraph deep in the engine room of the Reiyo Maru at 215' in Truk Lagoon.

•CCR diver exits the engine room of the Reiyo Maru in Truk Lagoon.

Join Mike in Truk Lagoon on board the Odyssey. 

Trips: https://www.evolutionunderwater.com/mike-gerken-truk-lagoon-rec-tec-photo-expedition-odyssey

https://www.evolutionunderwater.com/north-carolina-tec-sharks-wrecks

and many more in the travel tab in this web site.

 

"The engine room of the San Francisco Maru in Truk Lagoon"

Persistence, Patience and Perfection

As a photographer, it pays to have an obsessive compulsive personality; that is if you want to obtain high quality imagery. Depending on how severe a case of OCD you have depends on whether or not you will ever be content with your photos. Review your images, be your own worst critic and have the persistence to go back and take a shot over and over again until you are satisfied. No matter how good the photo is, a perfectionist will always want to do better. Using this approach will likely result in a continual improvement in your photography but, it may drive you a mad if you are not being patient during the process.

The Evolution

The sequence of images below is a shot that evolved over the years with the last one being the most recent and the one I'm most satisfied with to date. The San Francisco Maru is one of Truk Lagoon's premier dive sites but it rests in 200'/61M of water making it a challenging environment to shoot in. Having to penetrate the engine room for this photo makes it more demanding and difficult to closely analyze the images during the dive. I had to shoot and scoot, return to the editing station, review the shot in detail and come up with a new plan afterward. Was all the effort worth the payoff? I feel it was.

<Attempt 1

2008 Nikon D200. The engine room was hazy, the dynamic range of the camera poor and the angle was off. 

2> 

2017 Nikon D800. The results weren't good even with improved dynamic range and visibility.

<3

Oct 2019 Nikon D850. Superior dynamic range, increased high ISO and secondary lighting all helped. 

4>

A month later I tried again but from a different angle. Obsession setting in.

<5

Two weeks later I added a second video light but vis was poor.

6>

One week later the haze cleared and used the same plan. Am I done? I don't think so. I may have a few new ideas to play with but for now this will do. 

Join me on one of my dive photo expeditions, including Truk Lagoon, where I will be offering comprehensive photo and video techniques. Visit the Travel drop down menu above. 

Join me in Truk Lagoon for Rec•Tec 2020: https://www.evolutionunderwater.com/mike-gerken-truk-lagoon-rec-tec-photo-expedition-odyssey

"A remarkable display of trust by a wild dolphin."

Touch It?

With the increase in environmental awareness in most diving communities, touching marine life has become taboo. But, what if a dolphin invited you to touch it? Could you resist? Should you? Although this may sound remarkable, there is a special pod of wild dolphins in Revilligigedo Islands (aka Socorro) that do want you to touch them and without enticement from food. These bottlenose dolphins approach divers, hover vertically in the water and wait to be stroked like pets. I had heard about this phenomenon of Socorro as well as the abundant sharks and manta rays commonly seen there and was intrigued enough to sign up for a week on board the dive vessel Solmar V.

Trust

The dive guides briefed our group on what to expect before we set off to find some of these friendly cetaceans (or should I say, allow them to find us). Mid-way through our dive, several dolphins arrived and did exactly what we had heard they would do. The divers reached out to the dolphins and began petting them like a lap dog. One even came in for a quick belly rub with a new born circling her nearby. This was an incredible display of trust. It was simply amazing. I thought to myself? Are they enjoying the free massage or is there a more complex social behavior going on? My instincts told me it was the latter. Regardless, I saw no harm in the activity going on before me. 

The Bonus

While the petting session was taking place, a giant manta ray hovered over me allowing the rising bubbles to tease its underside. To the left of me were ticklish mantas; to the right affectionate dolphins; this was too good to be true. However, touching mantas is not permitted. Fish, unlike mammals, have a coat of slime on their skin that protects them from infection and other harmful elements. Removing this coating could injure the animal. All of the divers abided by this rule and simply watched these beautiful animals from arm’s reach.

Inspiration

It was inspiring that day to see dolphins trusting humans. They have many reasons not to based on our historically abysmal treatment of them. Many marine mammals around the world are held captive in small aquariums to entertain humans with silly tricks and in some communities, such as Taiji, Japan, dolphins are hunted commercially and slaughtered for food. When I saw the dolphins of Socorro stretching out to us for a rub I thought there is hope. Is there an evolutionary process taking place? Is there a bridge being developed between species? If humans can act responsibly down there and cultivate our relationship with these wild yet sentient beings, hope can turn into reality. 

Getting the Shot

•Getting to Socorro is half the battle of getting good imagery. The three primary islands, San Benedicto, Rocas Partida and Socorro are 250 miles from the tip of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. The 24 hour open ocean crossing is well worth the pitching and yawing.  

•Once there, do as the dive guides tell you to do and wait for the dolphins to come in and play. It's that simple.

•Ask yourself, are you more interested in touching the dolphins or getting good photos? It is not easy to do both. 

•Be sure to take some test shots first and adjust your exposure and flash settings for up close wide angle. Getting near to the animals is not the problem.

•I found the biggest issue in getting quality images was dealing with the other divers. Of course, everyone wants to get in on the interaction so finding a window to shoot required a bit of patience and gently easing myself in for a shot.

•The other problem I had was one of the best problems one could have. I was so focused on shooting giant mantas that I didn't notice the dolphin spa going on behind me. In hind site, I should have been focused more on the dolphins and given the mantas a back seat. 

Join Mike on a photo expedition to the Revilligigedo Islands in May 2021 on board the Solmar V. 

Get Full Details Here!
 

Fujikawa Maru Machine Shop

Please scroll down for photo descriptions.

Definition

For the purpose of this blog, I'll define underwater creative lighting as the utilization of artificial lights that are in addition to or exclusive of the primary strobes synced to the camera. This can be dive lights, video lights or additional strobes with slave triggers. 

Light

Someone smarter than me once said, "Photography is all about light, without it you have only blackness". The most common questions I'm asked by budding photogs is inevitably about lighting. How many strobes to use, how to position them and how much power is needed? My answer is simple, "put the light where it's needed".  The techniques on how to achieve this when talking about creative lighting are more complicated. Here are a few tips to get you going.

The Engine Room of the Nippo Maru The Dilemma

Using on-camera strobes by themselves has its limitations. They can only cast light so far from the shooter regardless of how powerful they are. Add too much power and your foreground is overexposed. Too little power and the background is underexposed. In addition, if there is even a hint of turbidity in the water the strobe will produce excessive glare (or backscatter). The more power = the more glare. It's like driving with your brights on in fog. 

The Solution

By manually placing remote lights in your background they will light up areas you couldn't with on-camera strobes and thus open up a world of photographic possibilities. 

History

The first images that had impact on me using creative lighting were of caves. To truly appreciate the vastness of caves a lot more light than what is attached to your camera is required. When illuminated properly the results were stunning.  Hoki Maru Port Prop

On the wrecks of Truk Lagoon I attempted to use ordinary strobes set on slave mode as my remote light sources. This went abysmally. If the strobe was too far away or the slave sensor was not facing the camera they wouldn't fire. I abandoned the technique not to revisit it for many years. That was until I began seeing images of fellow shooter and friend Pete Mesley a few years ago right here in Truk. By adding one or more high powered video lights strategically around the inside of the wrecks, he was capturing a whole new essence of these ships. It was time to rethink how I was going to work with lighting.

What Lights to Use

Technology in underwater dive lights has come a long way from the clunky, heavy, under-powered and pricey dive lights from 20+ years ago. The lights today are more powerful and compact.  Presently, I am using a pair of Big Blue 33,000 lumens video lights for all of my creative lighting and video needs. These are powerful lights and more than what is needed for 3/4 of my shooting conditions but they have rheostats to step down the power as needed. Big Blue has a variety of lights in different powers, weight and sizes for every application.  

Fujikawa Maru Control Room Shooting Tips

•When shooting in low or zero ambient light conditions it is best to use a camera that logically shoots well in low light, has a high dynamic range and is forgiving with high ISO settings. With my Nikon D850 I often shoot on ISO 5000-6400 with a shutter speed of 1/60th and F stop 4-5.0. This camera is ideal for this application.

•By shooting with higher ISO's you can reduce strobe strength greatly thus reduce the backscatter or glare in turbid water. The trade off shooting at high ISO's is image degradation from noise; some of which can be filtered out in post-processing. 

Kiyosumi Maru Engine Room

Lighting Tips

When it comes to creative lighting there are no rules set in stone. Experiment and learn by trial and error.

•Scout out dive sites, find a composition that has potential and see if it is feasible to set up lights in it or around it.

•Do not point the lights directly towards the camera. You will get nothing but a big blob of white hot mess. 

•When shooting wrecks look for dark corners that you want lit and set up the lights accordingly. 

•Place lights behind objects to help define their edges and make them pop.

•In the beginning, work with a single light adding additional lights only as needed. I believe too many lights is a distraction.

Nippo Maru Engine Room •Try to hide the source of your light from the image to imply that the scene was not constructed. It may look more natural. 

•Persistence is important. You may spend an entire dive dedicated to shoot one scene only to find you don't like it and want to do it over again. 

•Try not to create silt when placing lights. One wrong kick and your shoot is done for. 

•Strategize. Maximize your time in the water by not stumbling around without a plan. 

•Above all else. Be smart! Be safe! Do not place your self in a dangerous situation just to get the shot.

Photo Descriptions - Top to Bottom

Fujikawa Maru Machine Shop - Two 33,000 lumen lights were hung from the ceiling with low power strobe settings.

Heian Maru Control Room - A single light was placed behind the pipes lighting up the two telegraphs with a low power strobe settings.

Hoki Maru Prop - Two lights were used; both not visible to the camera. One for back lighting Nippo Maru Boiler Room
behind the prop and one off screen to the left. Strobes were used in addition.

Fujikawa Maru Engine Room - A single light was placed on the ceiling shining down on an angle towards the camera far enough away to reduce the intensity of the light. A second light was not needed. Strobes for foreground were used. Conversion to black and white was made due to turbid conditions. 

Kiyosumi Maru Control Room - A single light was used shining down the stairs while strobes exposed the control room. Strobes also used.

Nippo Maru Engine Room - Two lights were placed on opposing sides. Strobes on low power were used. 

Nippo Maru Boiler Room - A single light hung from above to show scale of the room. 

About Mike

Mike has been shooting for more than 15 years and is currently the captain of the Odyssey liveaboard in Truk Lagoon where he shoots the famed Japanese wrecks of WWII on a daily basis. He is the sole proprietor of Evolution Dive Travel and uses his vast knowledge to organize and conduct photo/video expeditions to a variety of destinations around the world. His work from Truk can be seen in this web site along with portfolios from other destinations. Visit the "Travel" tab in the main menu for trip dates and destinations. 

Follow Mike on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/Mike.Gerken100

Truk Lagoon: "Rec•Tec 2020": 

https://www.evolutionunderwater.com/mike-gerken-truk-lagoon-rec-tec-photo-expedition-odyssey

Spiked Cheek Anemone Fish

"Yes, I like taking pictures of fish sometimes" -Mike

The Offering

Certain dive locales are renown for the specific encounters they offer. For example, Guadeloupe has its white sharks, Tonga it's humpback whales and Truk Lagoon has it's wrecks. The results of my recent jaunt to Kimbe Bay in Papua Barracuda Swarm New Guinea yielded some of the best reef diving I have experienced and due less to one singular feature but more the sum of its parts. Upon descending to the reefs, it doesn't take long to notice that PNG has the highest marine biodiversity in the world. The variety of fish and coral species is immense. The tiered layers of hard corals are majestic and surrounded by magnificent sea anemones, enormous barrel sponges and gorgonians. Within this multi-dimensional reef are a community of fascinating species with elegant names such as ghost pipe fish, devil scorpions, pygmy sea horse, star-gazers and, Nemo's cousins, the false clown and spine cheek anemone fish. The extent of the diving doesn't stop there. Unlike other destinations, that have been noticeably "fished-out", the reefs of Kimbe Bay have larger reef inhabitants and a plethora of pelagic fishes. Schools of trevaly patrol in circles, dog-tooth tuna and
Kimbe Bay Napoleon wrasse can be seen on the fringes with large schools of barracuda circling above. If that isn't enough, toss in an occasional shark as an added bonus. Grant it there are no manta rays or whale sharks but this should not deter anyone from visiting this dive destination. It is a true paradisal wonderland under the waves with so many smaller tangents merging together to create the "big picture".

Old Growth Rainforest Walindi Resort

Nestled in the shadow of an active volcano along the edge of a tropical rainforest is this splayed out waterfront resort called Walindi Plantation. The property is umbrellaed by old growth trees with a large assortment of flora and fauna surrounded by a sprawling palm oil plantation. The bungalows were quaint and comfortable with all the amenities a traveler would need. There was an absence of air conditioning but, the ceiling fan was more than adequate and I did not long for the chill of artificial climate control the entire two-weeks of my stay. The restaurant dished out some very tasty meals using local ingredients and the bar area with pool in the central part of the resort was a perfect place to unwind with a cold beer or a glass of wine after a wonderful day of diving. Spine Cheek Anemone Fish

Although Walindi has two liveaboards that operate out of the resort, I opted to go land based for my two week stay. As the captain of a liveaboard I needed to get my feet on terra firma for a spell. However, I plan to try out one of their two liveaboards in the future since they can access more remote dive areas easier than the land based dive boats. This will be for another time. 

Garbuna Volcano

The Volcano

Besides the top-notch diving, the land tours were something special at Kimbe Bay as well. On my last day, prior to flying out, I signed up for the guided six-hour round trip trek to the crater of Mount Garbuna; an active volcano belching out steam and sulphuric gas. It was the hike up to the crater that was as equally exciting as the actual volcano itself. Our guides led us up a narrow and steep trail cut out of the forest with machetes. The old growth Red Tooth Trigge trees towered over us where abundant exotic birds dwelled and produced a cacophony of screeches. Although the shrieking was astonishing to listen to it was somewhat intimidating as well. The avians maneuvered stealthily around the forest canopy while seeming to communicate a strategy with one another to coordinate an attack and drive the foreign invaders from their realm. Then again, I have a steep imagination. We pushed on through and eventually came to a clearing that was reminiscent of scene from an apocalyptic movie genre. In 2006, Garbuna blew its top spewing out sand, steam and sulphuric rock while leveling the trees in the area. Fortunately, I was told no one was killed in this explosion. The scene was impressive and the smell pungent.

Mitsubishi A6M Zero The Zero

Lastly, let me not forget to mention the Japanese WWII Mitsubishi Zero plane wreck that is available to dive on. This aircraft was found less than two-decades ago and is in remarkable condition. The plane was successfully ditched close to shore and the pilot pushed back the canopy, climbed out and swam to shore where it was purported that he found his unit again with the help of locals. Nearly the entire aircraft is there with little damage. It is a must stop upon any visit to Kimbe Bay.

Getting There

An affordable and direct four hour flight from Chuuk to PNG, Port Moresby is available once a week. From Port Moresby it is a 65 minute domestic flight to Kimbe Bay. This convenient connection makes PNG ideal for an add-on trip to Truk Lagoon. If you board a plane in PNG at 0700 on Saturday you arrive 10 hours later in Chuuk and embark the Odyssey immediately. One should travel to the other side of the world and maximize ones time. A Reefs to Wrecks dive excursion is in order. 

The Future Barracuda Cyclone

I am nearly finished finalizing plans for a return to Kimbe Bay prior to my Truk Lagoon Rec•Tec Expedition starting Oct 24, 2020. If you are interested in joining me for one or both trips, contact me at your convenience. Stay tuned for details on a liveaboard trip to PNG coming in 2021. Dates to be announced.

Contact mike@evolutionunderwater.com for details and to get on the mailing list to receive updates.

Or follow me on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/Mike.Gerken100

Truk Lagoon: "Rec•Tec 2020": 

https://www.evolutionunderwater.com/mike-gerken-truk-lagoon-rec-tec-photo-expedition-odyssey

Visit the "Travel" drop down menu above for additional trip details ie Socorro, Palau and North Carolina wreecks!

PNG Photo Album

Barracuda

Barracuda Junction

Barracuda Cyclone A cyclone of barracuda

Trio False Clown Fish False Clowns
 

Kimbe Bay A view of Kimbe Bay 

Crinoids Crinoids

Red Sea Whips Flitting Fish

Devil Scorpionfish Scorpion Devil Fish - Look Closely

False Clown Fish

False Clown

False Clown Fish

False Clown

HaloA silhouette of a Sand Tiger Shark (Odontaspis taurus), Outer Banks, North Carolina.

The shot that became Evolution Underwater Imaging's logo.

©Mike Gerken

Camera: Nikon D300 

Lens: Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye          

Year: 2009

     If you're a diver, then you know the regretful feeling climbing out of warm bed on a Saturday morning, strapping on your fins and rolling off the back of a boat into a bad dive. Whether the visibility was poor the water colder than expected or the marine life absent, we have all been there. If you are one of these divers who is also an underwater photographer, I'm writing to tell you not to despair when a shoot is going down the tubes. Instead be creative, think outside the box and develop a new plan on the fly rather than pack it in and head for the bar. 

    The wreck of the Caribsea off the North Carolina Coast is famed for aggregations of sand tiger sharks; one of my fave subjects. This featured image was taken on a dive that started out as a let down. Although there was plenty of sharks about, I tried without success to shoot wide-angle but, poor visibility created hazy results with annoying backscatter (particulates that reflect like tiny mirrors when hit by strobe light). 

    With many of the sand tigers swimming in mid-water, I decided to turn my eyes upward. To my pleasure, the water color skywards was a cobalt blue and the sharks were stunning pressed up against it. Upon seeing this I thought a new strategy was needed. The strobes were shut off, thus eliminating backscatter, and the shutter speed and f-stop were adjusted for aiming towards the glare of the sun. I was going to shoot a silhouette.

     Getting directly beneath the sharks and swimming upside down while trying to frame the shot with the sun directly behind them proved trying. Bubbles kept getting in the way and the sharks would startle. To get the shot the biggest rule in scuba diving had to be broken; NEVER hold your breath. However, the only way to sneak underneath the shark and get the shot was to do just that. After maybe 10 minutes of using this amoral technique, I was heading to the surface with a compact flash card holding some digital goodness. 

     It wasn't an easy dive but, I went home that day feeling content and with an added bonus of not killing myself due to violating the golden rule of scuba. What made the image appealing to me was the sun dead center behind the shark creating a pleasant halo also known as "Snell's Window". In addition, the S-pattern in the tail implied movement in the animal; a desired result in wildlife photography. Landing one "keeper" photo from a dive that started out as a bust is, in my book, a victory. The image later went on to become the inspiration for my company logo, Evolution Underwater Imaging.

    When the tough gets going don't give up. With a little ingenuity and creativity you too can salvage a busted dive. But, please don't hold your breath!

Join Mike in North Carolina May/June 2020 for the Wreck•Shark Shootout.

GeorgeA Napolean Wrass named "George".

Sport Diver CoverMike was pleased to have this image chosen for the cover of Sport Diver Magazine.

Images & Text by Mike Gerken

©All Rights Reserved

Photo: Napolean Wrasse

Location: Maldives

Date Taken: Dec 2008

Camera: Nikon D200

     Feeding wild fish is often good for tourism but, is it good for the fish? This magnificent Napoleon Wrasse depicted in the images above was a regular on one of the reefs in the Maldives. His name was George. George was a very friendly wrasse who was inquisitive and sought out the attention of visiting divers. I found George to be a very cooperative animal for my photography where most Napoleons are weary of humans and normally keep their distance (and I can't say as I blame them). It can be said that this species of fish is highly intelligent and with one look into their sentient eyes you too may agree with that assessment. 

     After taking numerous images of George with his face nearly pressed up against my dome port, I wondered why was this creature so fearless. It became apparent when I spotted the dive guides feeding him whole hard boiled eggs shell and all. He would swallow the egg and cleverly spit out only the shell. This Napoleon had been tamed by the feeding. A technique often applied to allow close encounters with tourists. At the time, I didn't see the harm and made no protest. After all, I just scored some nice images.

     Months later I was honored when Sport Diver Magazine selected one of these images as a cover-shot. George just made me a very happy photographer. Some time later, maybe months or years (I don't recall), I heard George had died. Apparently he was autopsied and found to have dozens of undigested eggs in his digestive tract. Poor George ate himself to death and the guides unwittingly played a hand in his demise. I too was not innocent. I increased the demand for this type of feeding with my tourist dollars.

     Before I continue let me state that I can not confirm that George died from eating eggs. I only heard through casual conversation. Based on what I saw though this story is plausible. George was fed many eggs in the mere 20 minutes I had with him.

     From that point forward, I no longer participate in animal feeds where foods that are not part of the natural diet are fed to the animals. In fact, it can be argued that feeding these animals at all is not a sound environmental activity and I am now more discerning of the practice. However, tourism is responsible for communities striving to protect their marine resources because tourists are paying top dollar to participate and photograph these animals. In turn, these dollars help drive local economies. I wouldn't want to see these economies dry up and George, a rare reef fish species, end up at the local fish market rather than in front of a lens. Options must be explored and changes made on how we interact with marine life and seek to do what is best for the people, environment and the animals. 

     In hindsight, I would gladly give up this image of George to bring him back. He is far more important to the reef and our marine ecosystem than any photograph, cover-shot or not. RIP George.

Fujikawa MaruThe engine room of the Fujikawa Maru.

The Fujikawa Maru

Text and Image by ©Mike Gerken

Date Taken: April 2007

Location: Truk Lagoon, Chuuk, FSM

Camera: Nikon D200

Shipwrecks get there name for a reason. They're wrecked. Ships sink to the bottom of the oceans, lakes and rivers and there they will stay to slowly deteriorate. Preservation efforts can slow the process but time always wins. 

The Fujikawa Maru in Truk Lagoon is a wreck that is showing signs of age. Sunk on Feb 17, 1944 the Fuji has been deteriorating for 75 years. Being one of the most popular dives in Truk only sped up the effort due to increased diver traffic. 

The photo highlighted here was taken in early 2007 and depicts the ghostly upper engine room prior to its collapse sometime around 2013 (but don't quote me on that year). This scene is no longer there and only photography was able to preserve it.

The Wrecks of Truk Lagoon have been getting press in recent years about their degradation and the tragedy of this occurrence. I agree that it is a shame that parts of some of the wrecks have collapsed but, they are doing what wrecks do; they fall apart. None of us should be shocked. 

Don't get me wrong, I am an advocate for wreck preservation and believe in minimal impact diving. I touch the wrecks as little as possible and encourage others to do the same. In addition, in the 15 years I have been working here, I have never removed a single artifact. For me, it is about taking photos and leaving the wrecks as I found them. I do what I can to assist in maintaining this underwater museum for as long as possible however, my pragmatic side understands that nature is going to win. In the meantime, I will keep photographing and documenting shipwrecks for the purpose of posterity and enjoy myself while doing so. I think you should do the same.

Epilogue: The Fujikawa, like all the wrecks in Truk are still awing divers both repeat and first time visitors. They still have much to offer. 

Join Mike in Truk Lagoon for Rec•Tec 2020

©All Rights Reserved

MesmerizedMike's most recent image of Carcharias taurus with a cooperative and mesmerizing ball of bait.

Sand Tiger Shark with bait on the Wreck of the Caribsea, NC. 

     Taking impressive underwater images is as much about being in the right place at the right time than anything else. Your chances of discovering the "magic moments" increase exponentially the more you dive. It's a simple numbers game. Of course having the skills and proper hardware are of utmost importance but, even the most expensive camera gear won't take great images if it is sitting on the bench at home. Get up off the couch, get out there and allocate as much time and resources as you can afford to your pursuit of underwater photography.

     Another important element to this formula is diving in locales known to have superior subject matter to photograph. For example, attempting to shoot shipwrecks in the "mud hole" off the New Jersey coast may be a waste of time. The chances of the visibility improving enough to take a photo of even a small part of the wreck may be slim. This is one of the reasons I enjoy photographing the wrecks of North Carolina. The region is subject to warm clear Gulf Stream waters offering some days with visibility in excess of 100' and with abundant marine life to boot. The photo highlighted above was one such day.

     The wreck of the Caribsea located on the eastern side of Lookout Shoals is notorious for its large population of sharks and dense biomass. It is being able to see and photograph this marine life that is the trick, for the dive site is also renown for sporadic bouts of green water and low visibility. When I used to captain the dive boat, Midnight Express with Olympus Dive Center, it was always a crap shoot to take passengers to dive the Caribsea. If the conditions were exceptional I was the hero that day. If they were terrible, I was a zero!  But knowing what I knew, I normally would opt to go. It was worth the risk.

     The day in 2012 that I took the photo above I recollect with great fondness. Dozens of sand tigers were swimming gently in the gin clear blue water above the wreck with dense schools of bait pulsating around the them. It was mesmerizing; a truly existential moment. All the best conditions came together at the same time. It was sensational. It didn't take long before a shark enveloped in bait began it's approach towards me. At the last moment it turned and just then the school of bait began to pulsate as if it were a single living breathing entity. The fish were orchestrated perfectly while the shark was oblivious to the spectacle taking place around it. I knew after the shot that it was a keeper without looking at the LCD.

     Since that day, I have had many successful photographic dives on the Caribsea with numerous images on display in this web site.  These exceptional dives and many others like it have indelibly etched this wreck in the books as my all-time favorite dive site. For me, it's a special place where the positive results of one good day far outweigh the poor ones. Remember, you gotta be in it to win it!

     Please join me for the

7th Annual NC Wreck•Shark Shootout in May 2020

or the

Tec•Shark Expedition in June 2020

    Please view the documentary below, "Wreck Denizens of North Carolina" for more insight and stunning video of this animals behavior. 

Wreck Denizens of North Carolina - The Documentary

Trunk Fish

Motivation 

      I usually prefer the broader story of a wide angle photography but, every so often I find a small fish parked in front of my lens. It is usually not the fish that inspires me but the scene the fish is a part of. The image above depicts not just a trunk fish looking wearily at me but a trunk fish hovering within a rusty old can. The circular pattern of that can frames the fish nicely. Take away the can and you have a mediocre fish portrait. 

    If you desire to achieve a bigger picture with your photography then search patiently for a subject that is part of an exciting backdrop or what we photographers call "negative space". Whether it is geometric shapes, interesting patterns, brilliant colors or a rusty old can makes no difference as long as it appeals to the visual senses. Whether shooting wide or macro, I suggest looking beyond a single element in your frame and discover a wider view of the underwater world. Your images will take on more depth and meaning if you do.

The Photo

    The image highlighted here was taken in Dumaguete, Philippines with Atlantis Resorts; a destination renown for their diverse and abundant macro subjects. After a lengthy search I found this trunk fish within the can and knew right away this would make an interesting photo. Taking the image was not complicated. I made a few test shots to determine exposure and then moved in gingerly being sure to frame the scene properly. I got what I wanted within 5 frames. Very simple. It was passing up sub-standard subjects during the dive and patiently looking for the photo-worthy one that was the hard part.

    In closing, what inspires me may not inspire you. Try different things and find what you enjoy and make it part of your style and portfolio. If simple fish portraits is what excites you then don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If you're having fun then nothing else matters.

The San Francisco Maru

Truk Lagoon

Bow - San Francisco Maru

The image that many wreck photographers aim to achieve is the quintessential, "Bow Shot". This is a photo that summarizes best what it is the viewer is looking at in a glance. There can be no doubt, even to the layperson, that the photo before them depicts a shipwreck. This observation will likely invoke welcomed inquiries from the viewer with questions such as, "where is this wreck,  what is the name of it, and how did it end up on the bottom of the ocean?". After all, shipwrecks invoke feelings of mystery, adventure and tragedy. To see what was once a robust sailing vessel helplessly lying on the seafloor triggers the morbid curiosity inherent in most of us. 

     Tips and Techniques for getting the shot:

1- Go wide or go home. The wider the lens the better chance of success. If one is not shooting wide then one must back up more and more to fit the often leviathan wreck into the frame. This only increases unsharp images due to distance from target and the turbidity of the water.

2- What about the Viz? Without ideal visibility bow shots will often be an effort in futility. What's the point of shooting a grand wide angle image if you can only see a small part of the wreck and it's fuzzy to boot? The image of the San Francisco Maru to the right was one I attempted numerous times before achieving optimal results. If I could not frame the photo without seeing the forward mast in the background, I didn't waste my time with the shot. There would be another day with clearer water. (An advantage of living and working in Truk Lagoon.)

3- It's all about the angle. Every wreck has it's own personality or what nautical types call, "lines". The lines of a ship will determine how you want to shoot it. Personally, I opt most often for the direct head-on shot when the wrecks are sitting upright. The viewer sees the ship coming right for them and this has impact (pun intended). With this shot, I was careful to frame the wreck where the foredeck was visible in addition to including a view of the seabed. The bow gun pointing to the port side was a huge bonus. Lastly, I liked the white whip corals on the tip of the bow that added marine highlights to the shot but, was careful to not have them block the view of the gun. 

4- Black & White's Rule. Most of my super wide bow shots convert to black and white from color rather effectively. For one, there is little color to photograph in the scene at this distance so why not go B & W? The image would be mostly a variation of blues without the conversion. B & W also offers a different mood; maybe one of antiquity and suspense.

5- No Fisheyes. Fisheye lenses will, by design, create barrel distortion in the corners of the images. This barrel distortion often will not work for a man made object such as a wreck. Straight lines like the masts or cross beams will appear wonky. However, sometimes the fisheye can result in cool artsy images but require experimenting with composition. In the end, the fisheye for this image just wouldn't work for me. 

Join me in Truk Lagoon on the M/V Odyssey for my Rec•Tec Photo Expedition Oct/Nov 2020

Dive and shoot the Wrecks of Truk.

Get details here.

Specs

Camera: Nikon D850

Lens: Nikon 16-35mm 4.0

Strobes: Not Used

ISO: 1000

F-stop: 6.3

Shutter: 1/80

Depth: 160' (200' to the bottom)

     Marine life tends to avoid divers and the clamorous machine on their backs venting bubbles. Not so for the manta ray's of "El Boiler" at the Revilligigedo Archipelago 250 miles from the tip of the Baja Peninsula. These mantas are abundant and love divers! More specifically they enjoy the sensation of the venting bubbles tickling their undersides and will swoop in stop and hover over a diver to enjoy the man made spa. It is quite the spectacle.

     On my journey to what is also known as Socorro, I was accompanied by a family with children of what looked to be 11 years old and up. The image to the top right is of one of the boys. It was exciting to watch this youngster having the thrill of his life interacting with these majestic creatures; the bubbles delighting the hovering manta with a 12' wing span.

     During the course of one of the dives at El Boiler, I had my face pressed up against the camera shooting away. Suddenly it got dark as if the sun dipped behind a cloud. I pulled my face away from the viewfinder only to see a giant manta parked over my head shuddering from my venting bubbles. The manta sat there for what seemed like a minute or so before gently moving on to the next submerged bubble maker. 

     It is never lost on me how special moments like this are. It is rare when a wild animal willingly interacts with human without training or feeding. This is why manta rays have a special place in my log book. There's more to them than meets the eye. 

Join me on the Solmar V to Socorro May 2021.

Full details here!

Engine Room - Kensho Maru

by Mike Gerken

• Camera: Nikon D800; March 2017
• Housing: Nauticam
• F-Stop: 4
• Shutter: 1/60
• ISO: 6400

     Photographing wrecks often requires models in the composition to add perspective, show scale, tell a story and help set the tone of the image. However, models are not always at my beckon call and some are inpatient and demanding (add wink here). So sometimes a little improvisation is required. The divers that appear in this photo where shot unbeknownst to them as they penetrated into the heart of the engine room of the Kensho Maru. 

     The engine rooms of many of the wrecks of Truk Lagoon are the highlight part of the dives. The combination of surreal ambient light and the excitement of deep penetration into a WWII shipwreck are the ingredients for a potent cocktail. 

     The engine room of the Kensho Maru is in superb condition since it wasn't damaged extensively prior to sinking. The open skylights and the symmetry in the row of cylinder heads and the criss-crossing cat-walk help push it into the realm of the "best engine room dive" in Truk Lagoon. 

     The only other element required to complete this shot was divers. On this particular day I became privy to a group who expressed strong interest in being guided throughout the Kensho Maru. I simply jumped in ahead of them and positioned myself in desirable location in the engine room and spent about 10 minutes taking test shots and adjusting settings. Then I just waited. 

     Pretty soon I could see the divers enter the upper engine room with there light sabers whipping to and fro. Then the shooting started. For this shot I decided to not use strobes and take advantage of the stunning ambient light and use an ISO setting of 6400. The Nikon D800's ability in low-light allows for shooting at this high ISO without terrible image degradation (and the D850 is even better!). In the time that I was in the engine room I shot more than 200 images. All of them were tossed aside but for this one (I only needed one). The position of the divers and the varying angles of their lights balance the image nicely. I couldn't be happier. To get one diver in the right spot even when pre-planned is hard enough but to have 5 divers all sync up was a coup and this was accomplished without them even knowing it. In fact, all of the divers stated afterwards they didn't even see me lurking in the dark corner of the engine room.

    With a little bit of pre-panning, stealthiness and shooting a large volume of images you too can increase your odds of landing at least one great photo in a dive. Not every encounter underwater will yield an A-list image but when you do nail it, it is a feeling that will cause you to want more. Photography is addictive for this reason.

     Join me in Truk Lagoon on board the Odyssey for the Rec•Tec 2020 Expeditions. There will be comprehensive work shops with tips and techniques. Find out more here.

Images & Text by Mike Gerken

©All Rights Reserved

Schooling Sand Tigers - July 2015

Background

Planning, patience and persistence are often required to get "The Shot". "Schooling Sand Tigers" of North Carolina was one image I spent years trying to achieve. I started diving the wrecks of North Carolina in the late 90's and worked as a captain there for six seasons with Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City, NC. In that time, myself and others began to notice a pattern of animal behavior year after year on one particular wreck. Every mid-July female sand tigers congregate on the Caribsea located on the east side of Lookout Shoals. Where normally a diver can spot a few dozen sharks scattered around the wreck on the bottom, at this time they concentrate in numbers of 100+ and school in mid-water above the thermocline. Simply put, this is an awe-inspiring sight to see. In any one group of sharks you can count up to 50+ animals and to see several groups at a time. On occasions I could merge with the school and find myself immersed in sharks. Above me, below me and 360 degrees around me; sharks everywhere! 

Schooling Sand Tigers - July 2019

Getting the Shot

To capture an image of a school of sand tigers such as the one above, you must shoot super wide angle and drop back far enough to fit them all in one frame. All to often the visibility does not cooperate to do this and the images are grainy and unsharp. By visiting the site as many times as possible in a 2 week period in mid-July, you might get that clear water window.

Other issues to deal with to see schooling sand tigers are:

•Unless you charter a private dive boat you may not get to go to the Caribsea on back to back days which is may be required to find the desirable conditions. The consensus of divers on board the boat may want to dive elsewhere or not even go to the Caribsea to begin with. Dare I say, not everyone is a fanatic about sharks and photography?

•Weather is always a factor in diving North Carolina. The dive sites, are 20-30 miles from shore in the open ocean and getting there is half the battle. The wind and sea doesn't always cooperate and the boats are stuck at the dock while the sand tigers conjoin. 

•Although we have identified a distinct pattern of finding schooling sand tigers, they don't always cooperate and huddle up for the shot. They often splinter off into smaller groups coming and going from the area. On one occasion, I discovered a group of sharks 50 strong but they were 200' off the wreck. Trying to focus on the shot and not get lost was difficult not to mention dangerous. 

•Having multiple divers in the water at the same time doesn't help the situation. The sharks don't startle easy but they do spread out when a hapless diver swims right through the group. Working around these distractions is a challenge. It is best to dive alone but that is easier said than done.

•The use of strobes can be difficult. Too little power and your aren't illuminating the sharks and the image is monotone. Strobes set too powerful can yield a lot of backscatter, glare and overexposed fish in the foreground. Finding that sweet spot for artificial lighting takes practice. 

Why do the sand tigers school in mid-water in mid-July every year on the Caribsea? It is not fully understood. One theory is the sharks are regulating body temperature by dwelling in the warmer water above the thermocline. Why do they need to regulate body temp? That is also not understood. Why do they concentrate in large numbers? Once again, we don't know. 

In Closing

Locales such as the Galapagos or Cocos Island have their famed schooling hammerheads but North Carolina has schooling sand tigers. Now that you know what is required to see this, all you need now is to make the effort. The photo at the header was shot in July of 2015. The first time I saw schooling sand tigers was around 2001. It was nearly 15 years from the time I had the concept for the photo until I got what I wanted. There were many days of trial, error and bad luck but with the use of the three P's mentioned in the first sentence you too can get'er dun. 

Join me in North Carolina for the Wreck•Shark Shootout May 26-May 31, 2020. Find all the details at this link.

Hosted by Mike Gerken & Evolution Underwater Imaging LLC

©2016; All Rights Reserved

Attendees and Olympus crew for the 2016 NC Wreck•Shark Shootout

From left to Right:  Justin Smith, Chris Bronk, Robert Purifoy, Andre Labuda, Seth Moyette, Frankie Womack, Chuck Wingo, Matt Steere, Lucas Koch, Hanz Lehrke, Michelle Peabody, Mike Gerken, Nicoile Travis, Will Strickland, Barry Gregg, Tyler Mahler, John Palmer, Tim Fischetti, Annette Papa, En-Min Chua, Dawn Birmingham, David Alpert, Julian Hogan, Bob Birmingham, Gavin Volmer, Juergen Scharner; Not Shown: Scott Stitt, Ian Ford, Stuart Gibbons, Dale Rhoton and Stuart Vernon

     Holy White Shark! That is exactly what we saw at this years shootout. Due to strong currents offshore we were relegated to diving the inshore wrecks of the Indra and the new tugs. Nancey Cost, one of the participants, requested I have a look at her cameras screen to help her identify a shark she saw and photo'd. Thinking it was maybe a bull shark or a sand tiger I took a look with the usual interest. Low and behold she shows me a photo of a 8-10' Great White Shark! My jaw dropped to my knees. This was indeed a rare sighting. Fortunately for her, others saw it as well to confirm the sighting. What a rush to see a rare and majestic great white only 8 miles from shore in only 60 feet of water! And this was how we started our NC Wreck•Shark Shootout for 2016. What a rush.

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Great White Shark Spotted and photographed by Nancey Cost on the Tramp and JJF Tugs 8 miles from Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.

     This years shootout was attended by 30 excited shark hunters using an assortment of cameras from the arsenal. Nikon and Canon SLR's, SeaLife and GoPro point and shoots to name a few. By the end of the third day the gang took some handsome images of sharks and the wrecks that they inhabit off the North Carolina Coast. Mother nature did create a few obstacles to deal with such as strong currents offshore, a passing tropical depression and a dive or two with less than desirable visibility (but oodles of Sand Tigers).

     At the awards dinner, catered by Floyd's 1921 restaurant, I was more than happy to give out some amazing prizes to the winners of the competition judged by photo journalist Scott Johnson. I handed out liveaboard trips, land based excursions, dive gear, photo equipment and plenty of swag. (See full list of prizes here.) The only real negative of the trip was the winds picked up on the last day of the shootout and we had to cancel the diving. I couldn't complain too much for we did get out for 3 out of the 4 days and managed to see a nice variety of sharks on 4 different wreck sights.

     The two days previous to the shootout (the recon dives) we had 80-100' vis on Papoose with plenty of sand tigers, sand bars, groupers, giant southern stingrays and so much more. The Atlas Tanker the next day was nothing to shrug off either. 50-80' vis with amazing sand tigers and more of the bountiful marine life that makes North Carolina diving so famous. These dives are the pinnacle of what NC diving has to offer. 

     Without a doubt, plans for next years shootout are already in the works. I will be making an announcement on Facebook, Twitter and my personal newsletter within a few weeks and will be accepting deposits immediately. This shootout continues to grow in popularity and that is mostly due to the awesome sponsors and the great people that attend. Having such people to share my love of diving, sharks and wrecks is a highlight of my year. Thank you to all!

Video Highlights 2016

    And the winners of the 3rd Annual North Carolina Wreck•Shark Shootout 2016 at Olympus Dive Center are:

Grand Prize Winner

Best in Show - David Alpert

Truk Odyssey Liveaboard Trip

Sand Tiger Shark

Best Shark Photo

First Place Winner - Juergen Scharner

Sam's Tours/Unique Dive Expeditions Dive/Hotel Package

Sand Tiger on the Atlas Tanker

2nd Place Winner - Stuart Gibbons

Sea & Sea YS-D2 Strobe

Sand Tiger Shark on the Atlas Tanker

3rd Place Winner - Andre Labuda

Big Blue Underwater Light System

Sand Tiger Shark

Best Wreck Photo Category

First Place Winner - Stuart Gibbons

Caribbean Explorer II Liveaboard Trip

Sand Tiger Shark and diver on the USCGC Spar

2nd Place Winner - Scott Stitt

Olympus Dive Center Dive/Lodge Package

Sand Tiger inside Club Aeolus

DCIM\100MEDIA

3rd Place Winner - John Palmer

Wreck Diving Magazine 1 yr subscription + T-Shirt + OMS SMB and Thumb Spool

Key Hole of the Aeolus

Best Video Short Edited

First Place Winner - Frankie Womack

Utila Dive Center Hotel/Dive Package

2nd Place Winner - Andre Labuda

Dive Aventuras Dive Package

3rd Place Winner - En-Min Chua

Hollis Mask + OMS SMB and Thumb Spool

Best Video Short Unedited

First Place Winner - Andre Labuda

Sea Life Micro 2.0 Camera

2nd Place Winner - Barry Gregg

Tusa Mask, Fins & Snorkel

3rd Place Winner - Juergen Scharner

Backscatter $100 Gift Certificates

Best Point & Shoot Photo

DCIM\100MICRO

First Place Winner - Bob Birmingham

Scubapro MK21 Regulator

Diver and Sand Tiger Shark

2nd Place Winner - Juergen Scharner

Sherwood Blizzard Regulator

Sand Tiger on the Atlas Tanker

3rd Place Winner - Barry Gregg

Wreck Diving Magazine 1 Yr subscription + T-Shirt

Sand Tiger Shark inside the Aeolus 

Best Vivid-Pix Fix

Winner - Nicole Travis

Vivid-Pix Editing Software

     I wanted to quickly list all the sponsors here for the event. Without them, I could not put this together. Sam's Tours and Unique Diving Expeditions in Palau, Sea & Sea Photo, Karen Doody's Dive Aventuras, Scubapro, Sherwood, Hampton Dive Center, Backscatter, Wreck Diving Magazine, Vivid-Pix, Sea-Life Cameras, Explorer Ventures Liveaboards, Utila Dive Center and of course Olympus Dive Center. Your support has made this event a memorable event. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Thank You Sponsors

Truk Odyssey Liveaboard

Explorer Ventures Liveaboards

Sam's Tours/Unique Dive Expeditions

Olympus Dive Center	Unique Dive Exped.	Scubapro	Sea & Sea; Tusa	SeaLife Cameras
Vivid-Pix	Hampton Dive Center	Wreck Diving Mag	Backscatter Photo	Utila Dive Center

Dive Aventuras

See you all next year Wreck Shark Lovers! 

Please visit the other Blog Reports in this gallery and share your comments here or on Facebook.

by Mike Gerken

©Evolution Underwater Imaging LLC 2015; All Rights Reserved

Attendees and crew for the 2015 NC Wreck•Shark Shootout

From Left to Right; Abbey Coakley (front) Bud Daniels, Scott Faatz (rear), Dan Fisher (rear), Robert Purifoy, Gavin Volmer (front), Sara Faatz (front), Sammy, Frankie Womack, Annette Papa (rear), Dawn Birmingham, Terri Allen (barely visible), Liz Logan, Kathy Coakley, Bob, Birmingham (middle), Andre Labuda, Chris Bronk (middle rear), Travis Dickenson, Mike Gerken, David Benyamin, Tim Fischetti (right). Not showing; Scott Johnson, Maris Kazmers, Tanya Houppermans, Scott Houppermans, Laurie Czyzewski, Steve Everhart

     Without a doubt this years Shootout was an overwhelming success! The M/V Olympus with Olympus Dive Center managed to get offshore 4 days out of 4 with stunning conditions on the Atlas Tanker, WE Hutton aka Papoose and the USCGC Spar. Sand Tiger Sharks were bountiful but, even better yet, we spotted a total of 5 shark species in 4 days with numerous Sand Bar Shark sightings on the Papoose and Atlas as well as Bull Shark, Hammerhead and Black Tip on the Atlas. Many wonderful images were taken and great prizes given out, old friends reunited and new friends made. It was a feel good time for me especially when many have already indicated they will be back next year (stay tuned for dates and info coming very soon). Thank you to all the participants for coming this year. Some did not shoot or submit work for the competition but came for the pure enjoyment and company of the people and the awesome diving. That says a lot about the character of the people drawn to this event.

    Lastly, I wanted to quickly thank all the sponsors for the event. Without them, I could not put this together. Sam's Tours and Unique Diving Expeditions in Palau, Sea & Sea Photo, Karen Doody's Dive Aventuras, Scubapro, Sherwood, Hampton Dive Center, Backscatter, Wreck Diving Magazine, Vivid-Pix, Sea-Life Cameras and of course Olympus Dive Center. Your support has made this event a memorable event. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Also, thank you to Annette Papa for being my assistant, therapist and girlfriend. 

Thank You Sponsors

Video Highlights from NC Shootout 2015

     Without further delay, here are the winners of this years North Carolina Wreck•Shark Shootout:

Grand Prize Winner Best in Show - Tanya Houppermans 

Sam's Tours/Unique Diving Expeditions Dive Package

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Sand Tiger Shark on the USCGC Spar

Anything Goes

First Place Winner  - Maris Kazmers

Dive Aventuras Diving Package

Shark slideshow

2nd Place Winner - Terri Allen

Vivid-Pix software + Fro Knows Photo DVD tutorial

Sand Tiger Shark on the Atlas Tanker

3rd Place Winner - Andre Labuda 

Wreck Diving Magazine 1 Year Subscription

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Sand Tiger Shark cleaning off parasites on sea floor.

Honorable Mention Winner - Laurie Czyzeswki

Wreck Diving Magazine 1 Year Subscription

DCIM\100GOPRO Sand Tiger Shark with diver.

Best Wreck Photo Category

First Place Winner  - Tanya Houppermans

Sea & Sea YS-D1 Strobe

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Sand Tiger Shark on the USCGC Spar

2nd Place Winner - Terri Allen

$100 Backscatter Gift Certificates

Inside the boiler of the WE Hutton aka Papoose

3rd Place Winner - Scott Faatz

Vivid-Pix Software

Sand Tiger Shark on the Atlas Tanker

Honorable Mention - Liz Logan

Fifth Element Beach Matt

DCIM\100MICRO Sand Tiger Shark on the USCGC Spar

Best Shark Photo

First Place Winner  - Tanya Houppermans 

Olympus Dive Center Package

Sand Tiger on the USCGC Spar OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Sand Tiger Shark on the USCGC Spar

2nd Place Winner - Scott Faatz

Fro Knows Photo DVD Tutorials (x2)

Sand Tiger Shark

3rd Place Winner - Terri Allen

Vivid-Pix Editing Software

Sand Tiger Shark on the USCGC Spar

Honorable Mention Winner - Andre Labuda

Fifth Element Beach Matt

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Best Video Short Edited

First Place Winner - Frankie Womack

ScubaPro Regulator

2nd Place Winner - Dan Fisher

Sea Dragon Dive Light

3rd Place Winner - Liz Logan

Vivid-Pix Software + Fifth Element Beach Matt

Best Video Short Unedited

First Place Winner - Andre Labuda

Sherwood Brut Regulator

2nd Place Winner - Tim Fischetti 

Sea Dragon Dive Light

3rd Place Winner - Liz Logan

Vivid-Pix Software + Wreck Diving Magazine Subscription

See you all next year Wreck Shark Lovers! 

Please visit the other Blog Reports in this gallery and share your comments here or on Facebook.

Photos & Text by 

Mike Gerken

©Evolution Underwater Imaging LLC 2015; All Rights Reserved

Video highlights from the mystery wreck of Palau.

     Most people who have heard of Palau think of the azure blue waters, majestic mantas and menacing sharks that are prevalent with this beautiful island nation. ​Most aren't aware though that beneath the warm tropical waters, beside the stunning walls are more than two dozen Japanese wreck sites that were sunk there in 1944 during WWII. This is a fact that myself and the guys at Unique Diving Expeditions of Sam's Tours, Paul Collins and Richard Barnden are trying to change. Recently, wreck diver and author Rod MacDonald came to Palau to explore and document the wrecks for his new book scheduled to be released this year on wreck diving in Palau. I tagged along with the team to photograph and film the wrecks. Although we dived 20 sites in 10 days, this report focuses on only one of the dives; the mystery Japanese warship that we visited on the last day. 

     Paul and Richard, some weeks prior to our arrival, were approached by a mutual friend of theirs who had come across the location of an unknown wreck that was stumbled on while researchers were conducting oceanographic studies with side-scan sonars. The wreck had been dived on by only 3 or 4 people to date but, nothing had been documented or photographed. This was a golden opportunity for Rod Macdonald and team members Paul Haynes and Gary Garspeed along with myself, Paul and Richard to explore the wreck and look for clues that could help identify the origin and name of this ship.  In addition we were keen to capture the first images ever. Anytime a wreck diver has the chance to dive on a new wreck site is one he or she will not pass up. 

Sub Chaser GunThe bow gun on the foredeck of the mystery Japanese auxiliary sub-chaser in Palau. This was the first photo ever taken of this unknown WWII shipwreck. It was taken during the Rod MacDonald Palau Wreck Diving Expedition in 2014 with Sam's Tours and Unique Diving Expeditions.      It wasn't until our last day of the Palau Wrecks Expedition that we slated this mystery wreck in to our itinerary. I guess it was the old saying 'save the best for last'. Finding the wreck wasn't difficult with the waypoints that we had in our possession. We were told by the divers who first found the wreck, that we need to enter the water up current from the dive site and follow the the sloping wall down to about 150-160' and the wreck should there. We did just that and with great results.

     I can't speak for the others but, my adrenaline was high while scanning the sea bed looking for the wreck. When I first saw it it was a mere faint outline and I could see the other divers in the team all pointing at the wreck at the same time. With my video camera rolling, we swam up to the bow first and immediately saw a gun mounted on the very tip of the foredeck. We all new it was likely that what we had here was a warship; a small one but, a warship all the same. After shooting some video and taking a few still pics it was time to explore the rest of the vessel. At 155' time was not on our side and we needed to work quickly. 

    What we found would classify this wreck as a Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser with a length of approximately 130'. Depth chargers were discovered on the stern while a hydrophone was found on the keel. Two distinct clues that this ship was used to hunt and destroy enemy subs. In addition, the wheelhouse was collapsed but, the helm stand clearly visible in the wreckage. A large cable winch was found along the port side that was likely used to haul in and out of the water anti-sub hunting gear called paravanes. The smoke stack was intact but broken off at the base and neatly laid out in the sand. This would indicate that the vessel didn't roll down the sloping wall but sank and then rolled to the side. 

Mystery wreck dive team (left to right) Capt Jimmy, Paul Haynes, Mike Gerken, Gary Garspeed, Rod MacDonald, Paul Collins, Michael Brainsfield

​    Even though many of the team members were diving rebreathers, the time went by very fast and it was time to make our way up. I took this opportunity to take a few birds eye shots of the wreck before surfacing. You can see this and much more in the video highlights above. Unfortunately, this was to be our only dive to this site on this trip but, the information we retrieved was substantial. We do not know the identity of this long lost remnant from WWII but, Rod has a pretty good idea and will announce his finds when he knows for sure. I hope to join the team next year for further exploration of the mystery warship as well as the many other significant wrecks of Palau.

    Most of the dives we made in the Palau ten day expedition were interesting and very worthy of diving by recreational and technical divers all the same. However, for me it was diving to the unknown that became the dive that stood out the most. It's only fitting that I report this wreck first. In the near future, I will have additional Blog Reports on Palau wrecks such as the fleet oilers Sata and Iro. Stay tuned for more to come. 

Please visit the other Blog Reports in this gallery and share your comments here or on Facebook.

A Small But Savage World

Photos & Text by 

Mike Gerken

©Evolution Underwater Imaging LLC 2015; All Rights Reserved

Male Harlequin Shrimp w/Sea Star

A male Harlequin Shrimp with its prey, a Sea Star. The much larger female harlequin shrimp is directly over-head waiting for its mate to return with its meal (lower left image).

  Female (top) and Male (bottom) Harlequin Shrimp w/Sea Star            A helpless sea creature makes a valiant attempt of escape to freedom but, the claws of the determined hunter grasp a leg and drag it back to its lair. Here the rapacious predator will continue to tear bits of flesh away and consume the creature little by little being careful not to dispatch it entirely. It must keep its quarry alive so its limb will regrow and provide a continuous and sustainable meal for itself and its mate for many weeks if not months to come. This macabre undertaking may sound like a fictional scene from a John Carpenter film however; it is in fact a small sea star the size of my thumbnail being eaten by an even smaller male harlequin shrimp on a reef in Dumaguete, Philippines. It is just one of the many horror stories that can be found in our natural world; a world that is not just full of majesty and beauty but of savagery. Even though these small critters are innocuous to humans doesn’t make their behavior any less fierce than say a lion tearing the throat out of a zebra. It’s relative.

            Dumaguete, Philippines has become one of the premier locations in the world to experience macro marine life encounters such as I just described. The array of tiny critters that can be seen here often making homes in our trash is vast. Critters with an entertaining colorful names such as flamboyant cuttlefish, clown frogfish, ornate pipefish and of course the harlequin shrimp are found in tin cans, glass bottles or boat moorings. The ‘muck diving’ as it is called is world class. Its not a glamorous name but this brand of diving is interesting all the same. Scientists are regularly discovering new species and documenting new behaviors in Dumaguete. It is all very exciting.

Flamboyant Cuttlefish

A Flamboyant Cuttlefish hunts with its long pair of needles which are projected out from its mouth at lighting speed snagging the unsuspecting prey.

            It was for these reasons that my old friend Randy Randazzo of the Hampton Dive Center in Riverhead, New York decided to escort one of his dive groups to Atlantis Resort, Dumaguete in March of 2015. I was honored to accompany Randy and his people as their photo/video pro. As an established wide-angle photographer who occasionally dabbled with macro photography, I was excited at delving in to my first encounter with ‘muck’ diving. Armed with my brand new super macro 105mm Nikkor lens I was ready to get up and close detailed shots of fish species that are often hard to spot with a human eye; at least my human eye. This is where the experienced dive guides of Atlantis Resort shined. Follow the guides and within minutes they are pointing out wee critters with their underwater pointers to us blind tourists. Their highly trained eyes rarely missed a sighting.

Painted Frog Fish             Shooting tiny sea creatures is not as easy as one would imagine. The optics of the lens are highly magnified hence making the smallest movement a large movement in the view finder. It is often a struggle to fill your frame with a fish that is the size of a dime without cutting off a head or tail. Flawless buoyancy is critical for this style of photography. Needless to say, I had a blast shooting the critters with additional results at the bottom of this page. I’m already making plans to work with Randy again and conduct a photo workshop at Atlantis Resort in the future. If you think you might be interested in such a trip please contact me.

            In closing, I can highly recommend Atlantis Resort Dumaguete for delivering a wide variety of diving with the macro subjects as the highlights. The resort is a finely tuned establishment with top-notch local talent who will make your stay a comfortable and enjoyable one. There is no shortage of underwater subject matter with over 1500 documented fish species found in the Dumaguete area; a list that will keep you happily diving and searching for all of them for a very long time.

Photo Album

Mantis Shrimp The Mantis Shrimp is a hybrid of its name and considered one of the deadliest marine critters in the world due to its high speed talons that will kill its prey before it even knew what hit it. Some say the mantis shrimp can damage camera dome ports.

Waste is often used as refuge for many fish species such as this trunk fish.

Symbiotic relationships are often found in the Muck of Dumaguete. This Goby and its sidekick blind bulldozer shrimp help each other out. The shrimp builds the den while the Goby stands guard and warns the shrimp when danger is present. 

Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish Camouflage is often used by reef critters to protect themselves from predation such as this Ornate Ghost Pipefish.

More images from Dumaguete here.

Photo's and Text by Mike Gerken

©2015 All Rights Reserved

      "Go Deep or Go Home" jokingly was the unofficial slogan for the "deep week" on board the Truk Odyssey in October of last year. Some of you might be asking at this point, "What is a deep week?" Basically, it's when a group of technical divers charter the boat specifically to dive on the often overlooked deeper wrecks in the lagoon. Deep usually entails going below 130'. This particular week long event was charted by Jane Bowman and Warrick McDonald from Ocean Divers in Melbourne, Australia. These two have been on the dive scene for some years now and have a tremendous amount of dive experience between the two of them not to mention a very strong following of talented divers who join them on such expeditions.

     The prospect of spending 6 days diving wrecks, that I had yet to dive even after 6 years of working in Truk Lagoon, was exciting. It is not to say that the deep wrecks are better than the shallow ones, it's just that they are different and offer a new set of challenges. A diver must be far more disciplined in order to safely visit these wrecks at depths of 150' to 220' for more than a few minutes. Our bottom times were on the average of 20-25 minutes yielding more than 60 minutes of decompression. There is little room for error when doing such dives making the experience a more substantial feeling of achievement.

     When I discussed the itinerary with Warrick and Jane, I knew these people meant business. They wanted to dive 200' wreck sites twice in one day and visit some that are off the beaten path, such as the Oite destroyer which is a 90 minute run up to the north pass. This schedule was fine by me as long as everyone took all the precautions required to do repetitive deep dives. This would also allow me more time to do a photo shoot on each site. Photographing wrecks at 200' only adds to the technicalities of diving. Not only do you need to pay attention to your diving and self preservation but, your camera and dive buddy need your consideration as well. Speaking of which, Annette Papa posed for me on many of these dives with, what I thought, were outstanding results. Thanks Annette!

     At the end of the six days of diving it could be said that it was a safe and exciting week. Jane and Warrick and their gang from Oz all had a great time and have since rebooked the Odyssey for 2016. I'm counting the days until their return.

    Here are a few images from deep week:

Oite Destroyer

Anti-aircraft gun on the aft deck of the Oite destroyer. Max depth 200'

Aikoku Maru

Aikoku Maru stern deck gun. Max depth 200'.

San Francisco Maru

A Japanses battle tank on the San Francisco Maru. Max depth 200'.

Katsuragisan Maru

The bow of the Katsuragisan Maru. Max depth 220'.

Shotan Maru

Whip corals with mast in the background on the deck of the Shotan Maru. Max depth 170'.

Hokuyo Maru

The radio antennae on the roof of the wheelhouse on the Hokuyo Maru. Max depth 190'

More images from Truk Lagoon here

Photo's and Text by Mike Gerken

©2014 All Rights Reserved

Thresher VII

A Pelagic Thresher Shark of Malapascua, Philippines. 

     I try not to discriminate against anything based on appearance. I believe  all living things should be given equal due respect regardless of what they look like. However, in the western world, some creatures are placed on higher pedestals than others based on, what I call, the 'cute and fuzzy factor'. i.e. If you fall in to the 'adorable' category then you have a better chance of not ending up on the dinner plate. I do my best to practice this belief but, every now and again a critter comes along that tests my good senses. This is what happened to me when I met the thresher shark. The large round sentient black eyes, the smooth blunt nose and the mouth slightly ajar all convey a human expression of surprise or even innocence. "Charming" is the singular word that pops in to my mind when I saw these guys swimming across the reef. Thresher V

     It was in Malapascua Island in the Philippines where I had my first encounter with Alopias pelagicus, the pelagic thresher shark. Malapascua for some years now has been one of the 'go-to' locales for a near guaranteed sighting of these magnificent sharks. After viewing plenty of images on the internet, I decided it was time to check these guys out in person.

Evolution Diving       Annette Papa and myself arrived in Cebu, Philippines on board the dive vessel M/V Odyssey for the vessels scheduled three year refit. (Presently, I'm the captain of the Odyssey in Truk Lagoon and Annette is the dive instructor for six months out of the year from June till January.) After a few weeks of cutting, pounding, scrapping and painting during the dry dock, it was time for our scheduled two week holiday. We decided to head to nearby Malapascua Island to stay and dive at the Evolution Diving resort which is owned and operated by Matt Reed (no relation to Evolution Underwater Imaging). I first met Matt in 2003 when he worked on board the Odyssey while I was working on the neighboring Truk Aggressor II.  After Truk, we bumped in to each other now and again in our work and travels and stay in touch via Facebook. 

​     Annette and I found Evolution Diving to be perfect way to spend a quite holiday in a rustic island setting. The staff were courteous, friendly and always went out of their way to make sure you had everything you required. The facilities were very comfortable and ideally located right on white sand beaches. The diving of course, was beautiful with a great diversity of macro life and soft corals. However, the signature dive site for all of the operators was Monad Shoal, a 'cleaning station', where near guaranteed thresher shark sightings are conducted. It was explained to me that the threshers dwell mostly in depths of 100-300 meters. They come up to the shoal in the very early hours of the morning, when the reef comes to life, in order to have parasites picked from their mouths, gills and bodies by cleaner wrasse.

    To dive with the threshers, one must arise from a deep vacation slumber around 4:30am too catch a 5am departure. That's right, 5am! It was still dark as I stumbled down the beach to the banca (local style boat) which would take us too the dive site. The run out to Monad Shoal from Malapascua was an easy 20 minute boat ride. The divemaster gave us a quick briefing explaining that there is a roped off viewing area at the top of the shoal that no diver is permitted to cross. This is done to prevent the shy thresher shark from being spooked by invasive divers during their morning cleaning. In addition, we photogs were told that flashlights, strobes or any artificial lighting was prohibited on this dive. Spending most of their time in deep low light environments, the light sensitive threshers startle easy when powerful strobes and video lights are blasting away at them. With these rules at hand (necessary rules at that), I knew getting a killer shot of this awesome shark would be difficult but, I always rise to an occasion and looked forward to the challenge.

Monad Shoal     The dive itself is pretty simple. Swim down to the shoal at about 70 feet and wait behind the rope for the threshers to show up. On day one, we managed to see only one thresher; my first one. At around 8 feet in length, this was a nice specimen but, did not come in close for a good photo. It was exciting to have this incredible shark, that hunts by whipping and stunning prey with their long powerful tail, swim right along side me. The dive guide at the end of the dive looked disappointed due to there being only one shark since upwards of a dozen can be seen on other days. This dive in my book was still a success even though I had no photos to show for it. Such is the way it goes when you are an underwater photographer. Patience is required in getting 'the shot'. I would be back.

Thresher IV     Day two yielded a better dive however, the first 20 minutes there was nothing. Nada. No sharks and things looked bleak. That was until our dive guide had a hunch and led three of us down deeper away from the primary viewing area to see if the sharks were being coy. Sure enough, after a 5 minute swim, three threshers in 80-100 feet arrived and were swimming loops around the sloping wall while cleaner wrasse darted around their head and bodies like a hungry man at a breakfast buffet. With every swing passed me, I hoped they would come is close enough for a clean shot. As luck would have it, I managed to collect a handful of 'keeper' shots for the portfolio and to share with you all in this blog.

Thresher VI      As my stay with Evolution continued, my thresher shark dives each day got better and better. More sharks with great close-ups left me like a kid in a candy shop and wanting to go back for more. Unfortunately, duty called and it was time to head back to Cebu to assist in completing the work on the Odyssey before heading back to Truk Lagoon. Something told me that I will be back to dive with these sharks again one day soon.

​     Thresher I While viewing my images on the laptop, I couldn't help but chuckle every so often at the endearing  and clueless expression on the thresher sharks face all the while reminding myself not to fall for these sharks based on their looks alone. I couldn't help it though. At the end of my editing session, the thresher definitely gained ground in my list of favorite sharks based on a perceived personality.  In the end, I guess I am a sucker for a cute face after all.  

Happy Diving,

-Mike Gerken

Visit my web page for more photos from Malapascua.

Tips for Photographing Thresher Sharks

1. Stay low to the reef so not to spook the sharks but, do not damage the corals. Perfect hovering is a key skill in obtaining eco-friendly shots.

2. Do not chase the sharks. You will lose this race.  Be patient and at the ready and wait for the shark to come in close.

Thresher III 3. Flash photography is not permitted so use a wide angle lens with the widest f-stop you can afford. My Nikkor 16-35mm, F4 was sufficient but, I wished for a F2.8 or better.

4. The sharks are moving targets. Shoot at a minimum of 1/80th of a second to prevent blur. Any faster than this and your light will be too low.

5. The dive is very early morning and ambient light is low. Pump up the ISO to as high as your camera will go without excessive noise. I was shooting stills at ISO1650. 

6. Try to get low and shoot high to allow more light and better angles with more contrast in your shot.

Photo Gallery

Thresher II

NC Wreck Fish

Malapascua diving has more to offer than Thresher Sharks. 

False Clownfish False Clownfish of Malapascua.

Topside scenery at Malapascua Island.

     Pulling up the marine weather forecast 48 hours prior to the start of this event, I was pleased by what I saw. 5-10 knots NE wind with a high in the upper 70's. That would work, I thought to myself. When Thursday afternoon of May 29 arrived all was set and  all I could do was wait for the participants to arrive from as far away as Michigan and   Canada and as near as Havelock, NC. The 1st Annual North Carolina Wreck•Shark Shootout was a go and I for one was very excited. For years now, I had hoped to pull this event off but, was unable to due to a conflicting work schedule as captain of the very boat I intended to charter, the Midnight Express at Olympus Dive Center.

     Thursday night was the meet and greet at the dive center where a schedule of what was to come was given, rules were stated and introductions made all around to the 14 participants. Those who attended were as follows: Kathy and Abigail Coakley, Bill Eckart, Andy Bennis, Maris Kazmers, Frankie Womack, David Dewhirst, Mike Love, Scott and Sara Faatz, Timothy Fischetti, Liz Logan, Chris Bronk, Andre Labuda After meeting everyone, I had a positive vibe with the chemistry of these people. Here we had divers and photographers coming together to share a common love of sharks, wreck diving and the marine ecosystem as a whole. In addition, Olympus Dive Center was the perfect venue to bring this all together.

     Friday morning brought light winds and calm seas as predicted. Cool temps in the morning caused everyone to don sweaters and the like but, moral was very high. I decided that, with these conditions, a trip to the Caribsea on the east side of Lookout Shoals was warranted. The Caribsea of course is infamous for large numbers of sand tiger sharks, the primary targets for this photo/video shootout. Upon arrival at the Caribsea we had a choppy sea but, it was bad enough to cause any discomfort on the boat. Justin Smith, one of the Midnight mates, radioed up from the bottom to indicate conditions were nice with about 30-40 foot of viz and plenty of critters to be had. It didn't take long to get these trigger happy divers off the boat and swimming with the sharks. Both dives this day were a total success and moods were of a happy nature. Once back to the dock, there was a grill set up that pumped out plenty of dogs and burgers to the hungry divers. Only the smoke in my face from the grilling caused me to grimace, otherwise all was right in the world.

    That night I conducted a presentation at the local chamber of commerce office where I talked about wreck diving with sharks and showed a few pics and videos to get everyone even more excited than they were. Weather for the next day was still promising and everyone went home to get some well needed rest after the presentation. At least that is what they told me.

Video Highlights of the event.

    It was time to make a run due south on the second day. The W.E. Hutton aka Papoose was calling and I wanted to see if there were still sharks dwelling there such had been the week before. The ride out was slick calm and beautiful. The Northeast wind once again caused a minor chill in the air but, was certainly not a detriment. As luck would have it there were plenty of sharks on the Papoose and vis was decent at around 40-50 feet and even better up off the bottom. Divers spread out up and down this 400+ foot long ship that lay upside down in 120 feet of water. Shutters were snapping and video cameras rolling. Once we were done on the Papoose we made a run in to the wreck of the USCGC Spar, which also had a big population of sharks on it the weekend prior. The Spar definitely scored points with the divers with plenty of marine life and shark activity to be had. The hot water shower was definitely the most popular amenity on board the Midnight with shivering but, smiling divers enjoying the steamy water. The cabin heater scored a second place award with many hunkered down in there regaining their core body temp.  Later that night, a photo/video workshop was offered to anyone interested and nearly everyone showed up. I was happy to share what secrets I knew in taking better photos and video. By all reactions, I believe it was a big hit.

    High Northeast winds threatened are diving for day three but, we were lucky to make it out to the inshore wrecks of the Titan Tug and the Ario aka W.E. Hutton. The shallow dives of only 60-70 feet made for some great bottom time and the calmer seas were well appreciated. Only a few sharks were spotted on this day but, amazingly moral was still very high. All present were laughing and carrying on with big smiles. By this point friendships were being forged and camaraderie was present everywhere.  

     Once all returned to the dock, it was time to scramble around and get photos and video files in to me before 5pm which was the cut off time for submissions. There was lots of excitement in the air and last minute decisions to be made. Now it was time for myself and my lovely girlfriend and partner, Annette Papa to assist me with the winning selections. We both agreed that it was not an easy thing to do. After about an hour of debating we had our winners and it was time to head over to Floyd's 1921 restaurant for our awards dinner. The spread of food that was put out was wonderful with chicken Piccata, shrimp and sausage pasta, sautéed string beans, salad and dinner rolls. Most enjoyed a glass of wine or a cold beer to wash it all down.

    Once everyone's appetite was sated, it was time to announce the winners. I thanked Robert Purifoy of Olympus Dive Center and all the staff and crew then the prizes were announced and images displayed on the screen. Here were the results:

3rd Place for Best Shark Photo went to Liz Logan who won a Wreck Diving Magazine t-shirt and U352 water bottle.

2nd Place award for Best Shark Photo went to Maris Kazmers who won a 1 year subscription to Wreck Diving Magazine.

1st Place for Best Shark Photo went to Scott Faatz who won a 2 day dive package with Olympus Dive Center.

3rd Place for Best Video Short went to Sammy Faatz, Scott and Sara Faatz's daughter who produced a cute video on the realties of the food chain. Sammy won a Mike Gerken fine art print, a Wreck Diving Magazine and a Tshirt. She was so excited and anxious to continue to produce more great films in the future. Ya gotta love this.

2nd Place for Best Video Short went to Liz Logan with her wonderful profile shot of a sand tiger. Liz won a 1 year subscription to Wreck Diving Magazine.

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And 1st Place for Best Video Short went to Kathy Coakley for her cute bit on a angel fish.

3rd place for Best Wreck Photo went to Andy Bennis who won a Wreck Diving Magazine t-shirt and magazine.

2nd place for Best Wreck Photo went to Scott Faatz who won a 1 year subscription to Wreck Diving Magazine.

1st Place for Best Wreck Photo went to Andy Bennis who won a dive package to Dive Aventuras, "Mexicos Riviera". 

The 1st place award for "Anything Goes" category went to Frankie Womack for his wonderful video short that had a bit of everything going on in it. Frankie won a Scubapro Mark 25MK regulator.

Once all the awards were given I then handed out a The Wrecks of Truk Lagoon and a The Wreck of the SS President Coolidge video to all those who participated but, did not win an award. Everyone was a winner at the 1st Annual North Carolina Wreck•Shark Shootout.

    By time the event was over, most everyone was eager to sign up for next years event. This was a big indication that it was a huge success. I for one had a great time organizing this event and cannot wait until next year. Speaking of which, pencil in the 2nd Annual North Carolina Wreck•Shark Shootout on May 28 thru May 3 of 2015. This time I will be chartering both the Midnight Express and the Olympus and taking over the entire dive operation in search of the most sharks on the best wrecks. There will be more sponsors, guest speakers and bigger prizes awarded and lots of friendly competition. Stay tuned for additional news on this event. If you want to put a deposit down now and secure your spot, email mike@evolutionunderwater.com.

    Lastly, I wanted to thank again, Robert Purifoy whose assistance would not have made this event what it was or even possible. Additional thanks to all the staff at the dive center, the Midnight Express crew, Buck Wilde, Justin Smith, John Fifer. Also, thanks to Joe and Heidi Porter from Wreck Diving Magazine, Karen Doody of Dive Aventuras, Scubapro and Annette Papa who was such a huge help to me in every way.

    See you all next year.

Happy Diving,

-Mike Gerken

Disclaimer: The expressed opinions here within are of those of the author and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of another dive operation, boat owner or boat captain.

     I have been a dive boat captain on liveaboards and day boats for more than seven years and crew member for longer than that. I certainly haven't been doing this for as long as some captains but, I have been doing this long enough to witness diver practices on board that I wish would improve. My comments here are not meant to be  disrespectful but, to offer constructive criticism. Even after more than 30 years of diving, I still remember what it was like to be stumble along the way to becoming a more experienced boat diver. I have made my share of mistakes and was lucky to learn from them and do no harm to myself or others. Take what you will from this article but, I believe this information may add to your enjoyment of the sport, improve your social standing on the boat as well as your personal safety and the safety of others.

1 - Rules

     Every boat owner/captain has their own set of rules. It's simple. Learn them. If you do not like them, find another boat operator to go diving with. Breaking the owner/captains rules is not only dangerous but, very disrespectful to authority.

2 - Organization

    Every captain, even those who are not as anal-retentive as myself, prefer their boat and the passengers on board to be well organized. Stow your equipment and personal items in the appropriate places and be courteous to other divers space. Do not leave your gear laying about where it does not belong. For example, I have seen countless dive masks crunched from a tank by a returning diver plopping down on to the bench. Divers who are meticulous and methodical are less likely to forget important tasks like turning their air on before a dive or securing their tank before walking away from it. Crew are there to check these things but, every so often a problem can sneak past our 'radar'. And oh yes, don't show up late for the boat. I have done this a few times and received the 'stink' eye from the captain and passengers for making them wait. However, I was lucky, for some captains wouldn't wait at all but, would wave to you as they are pulling away from the dock. 

A well organized boat and group of divers.

3 - Equipment

    Set up your gear and test it before leaving on charter. Too often I hear someone say to me standing over a leaky regulator, "I just had that serviced". This being said only a moment before pressurizing their tank for the first time right before a dive. Bring only what you need and a few spares of the important items like a regulator or mask.  Please minimize and pack accordingly for the dive trip at hand. 

4 - Briefings

   Stop what you are doing, sit quietly and pay attention to both the safety briefing and the dive briefing alike while they are being given. This information goes beyond being a convenience but, may very well save your life in a emergency situation. Even if you have heard the briefings before, sit tight and don't do anything that may distract the other divers from paying attention to this valuable information like fidgeting with your gear. Doing so is a discourtesy to the captain, crew and other passengers.

Divers paying attention to the dive briefing.

5 - Attitude

     Recreational divings primary objective is to have fun and be safe and not prove how your diving exploits might save the world. There was a dive boat captain, who shall remain nameless, who had a sign on his boat that read, "Leave your ego on the dock". It was a fitting statement. An over inflated sense of pride will not only be a nuisance to others but, can be down right dangerous when you participate in a dive activity that you have neither the training, fitness or experience to perform and all because your ego told you otherwise. Believe me, I am as guilty as anyone of this last statement when I was younger.

A diver with a positive attitude.

6 - Behavior

     Have a look around and take note of who you are sharing the boat with for the day, week or maybe longer. After doing so, ask yourself, is it appropriate to curse like a truck driver or carry out vulgar antics in the company of these people? Are you being respectful to those around you? Also, shouting on board in a non-emergency situation, is not acceptable. There are enough problems a captain has to deal with at sea that causes them stress without having someone jokingly shout out, "man over board" or someone else yell to their friend at the top of their lungs to grab them another beer. Speaking of which, alcohol consumption on liveaboard diving can lead to serious issues when someone has just a few too many. Be a responsible drinker, enjoy your holiday but, remember to stay in control. 

John T. keeping it light hearted. 

7 - Eco Friendly

     Nearly everything we humans do has a negative impact on the environment including scuba diving. As divers, minimizing these impacts to the best of your ability is all anyone can ask. Do not handle or harass marine life. When spearfishing, abide by size and quantity restrictions and be a discriminate hunter. Do not throw your rubbish in the water. (You will definitely score points with me when I see you return to the boat with trash you found.) Teach by example. Do not destroy corals intentionally or unintentionally. Take only photos and leave only bubbles. Try to give your business to operators who do their best to be 'green'. Lastly, if you must smoke, please smoke down wind in designated areas and do not throw your butts in to the ocean. I have heard some captains have are banned smoking on their boats completely. In my opinion, smoking has no place on a dive boat. It is a nuisance to other divers who are fighting sea sickness and is a danger to their own personal safety as a diver. I have seen smokers alienate themselves from other passengers many times due to their own bad habit.

8 - Physical Fitness

     Over the years, I have seen the general physical fitness of the average diver deteriorate and become the cause of more dive injuries or near injuries than I have time to tell. I'm not going to throw DAN (Divers Alert Network) or training statistics at you but, I am sharing my first hand experiences. As a captain, it is my job to assess divers before the boat leaves on charter and try to determine if anyone will be a harm to themselves. How do you assess whether someone is physically fit to dive? It is most often not an easy task if not impossible without alienating yourself and your company. Diving, most of the time, is a passive sport that requires little exertion and can be done by nearly anyone as long as they pass the fitness test of the certifying agency and indicate they have no medical conditions. (With all due respect to the training agencies, the fitness test is not very difficult to pass and some students lie on their medical forms.) However, when a physically unfit individual comes upon a rare stress related situation, injuries, illnesses and accidents are more likely to occur and sometimes with fatal consequences. Diving, as with life in general, will be more enjoyable and safer if we took better care of ourselves by exercising daily, eating right and getting regular checkups at the doctor. This practice most certainly applies to myself as well. My last wish is to stay fit to participate in diving for the rest of my life, however long that may be.

MesmerizedA sand tiger shark amongst a mesmerizing school of bait.

Carcharias taurus or the Wreck Denizen of North Carolina. ©Mike Gerken

Sand Tiger Shark      As an underwater photographer who loves sharks, I’m frequently asked by fellow divers, “what is your favorite shark?” My answer unequivocally is, the sand tiger shark or Carcharias taurus, “Wreck Denizen of North Carolina”. I say so not necessarily because the sand tiger is the fastest of sharks, such as the mako or as formidable such as the great white or even as handsome as say the silver tip. No, my love affair with the sand tiger was more of a process of association.

     I began diving the wrecks of the Outer Banks of North Carolina recreationally in the late 90’s and found myself on numerous dives surrounded by these lethargic, but sinister looking sharks that range in size from a modest 4 feet to a whopping 10. Its rows of crooked gnarly teeth jutting from its jaw reminded me more of a Hollywood villain than hero. I returned to North Carolina in 2009 to work as a captain at Olympus Dive Center located in Morehead City. In total, I spent 7 seasons conducting hundreds of wreck dives up to 40 miles off the Carolina coast in to the Atlantic Ocean. Many of these dives were in the company of sand tiger sharks. At times when aggregations were the strongest, I had counted well over 50-75 sharks and on a few occasions their numbers were over 100! Nowadays, spotting at least one sand tiger shark on most wrecks is nearly guaranteed.

     With each sand tiger shark encounter, I gradually developed an interest in this docile and vastly misunderstood animal. The sand tigers behaviors, unlike many shark species, is fairly easy to observe in their natural habitat. Most other sharks, such as tiger sharks or bulls require artificial feeding in order for prolonged encounters with these species to take place. Because of this, shark feeds have become a popular tourist attraction all over the world such as in the Bahamas, Fiji, and Mexico. The theory is, where there is blood in the water there will be sharks. Where there are sharks there will be divers willing to shell out good money for a close up experience with these amazing creatures. The sand tiger shark on the other hand requires no blood in the water to attract. They tend to dwell in the same rock ledge or wreck site for days if not months on end and do not startle easy and appear rather comfortable in the presence of divers. This allows for very close observation for prolonged periods of time without altering the sharks behavior.

San Tiger posing inside the wreck of the Aeolus.      Any diver can get close to a sand tiger or a group of sand tigers. All that is required is calm and subtle approach underwater. Heavy breathing, excessive limb movement and/or moving directly towards them will likely cause the sand tiger to veer away from the diver at a slow, but steady pace. To view the shark, it is best to swim parallel to it or do not swim at all. Since the sharks tend to travel up and down or around a wreck over and over again, one need only hover in the water motionless and it is only a matter of time before a shark will swim within 10 feet or even arms reach of you. A very stealthy diver may even have to get out of the way of an approaching shark to avoid contact. However, touching these sharks is not recommended. Not because there is a threat of an attack, but you will likely scare the daylights out of them. When these sharks startle, they will turn tail in a flash and dart off at high-speed in the opposite direction in which they came leaving a wall of displaced water in their wake. When this happens, as a diver, it is best to put your arm up to protect your face from the thrashing tail and concussion of water coming at you to prevent your mask from being knocked off. Otherwise, to get bitten by one of these sharks is rare and highly unlikely event unless you provoke the animal by grabbing it or if you were carrying dead fish on your person. With that said, common sense would dictate, do not try to ride these sharks or spear fish in their presence.

     As a photographer, the sand tiger, by far is my favorite subject.  Anyone spending a few moments on my web site will learn that quickly enough. Photographing a sand tiger stand-alone is interesting and exciting in itself, but when you combine a sand tiger with a stunning and historic shipwreck as a backdrop, the photo and a story really comes to life. Also, due to the sand tigers easy-going disposition, they make for great models. Once you come to understand their behavior, setting up a shot becomes fairly easy when the conditions are conducive. Most often, I find it easier to photograph sand tigers compared to humans. Unlike divers I can anticipate the action of a shark more than I can one of my models. The best part is sand tigers will work for free and do not complain about it.

A sand tiger shark swimming along the wreck of the U352.      There is some scientific research being conducted on sand tiger sharks today, but mostly on coastal sharks. However, little to no research is being conducted on the sand tigers that are found specifically on the offshore shipwrecks of North Carolina. It is my hope in the near future that more funds and scientific knowledge be utilized to better understand this enigmatic species of shark. The wreck denizen of North Carolina is much more than a tourist attraction. They are vital apex predators that are crucial in balancing the marine ecosystem and in turn protecting fish food stocks that are vital to us humans.

Visit this link for more of Mike's sand tiger shark photography.

Afterword:

If you would like to see sand tiger sharks up close and personal contact Olympus Dive Center for information on how to dive the wrecks of North Carolina.

Sand Tiger Facts

•They practice intrauterine cannibalism. This is when one shark embryo will devour the sibling embryo(s) whilst still inside the host mother. How gruesome.

•They range from as far north as Delaware to northern Florida.

•They can be also found off the east coast of South Africa, where they are known as ragged tooth sharks, as well as off the east coast of Australia, where they are known as grey nurse sharks.

•They have been found as deep as 600 feet.

•Males will bite and latch on to the pectoral fin of the female during mating producing scars.

•For reasons not known sand tigers by the dozens on rare occasions will hover in mid water swimming in the same direction in to the current.

•They are the only species known to control their buoyancy by gulping air at the surface.

•They are a federally protected shark species in the United States. It is illegal to land or kill a sand tiger.

•It is not known why sand tigers aggregate around wrecks. It is theorized they are there for the abundant food sources that can be found there. 

A false spawning event of red snappers in Palau. ©Mike Gerken

            “Any dive is a good dive” is the motto of many an optimistic diver returning from a mediocre dive experience who does not want to be construed as a jaded diver. After logging thousands of dives and seeing some amazing sights underwater, I find myself at times falling in to this category. For every dive that causes my eyes to pop out of my mask and regulator to fall out of my mouth there are a dozen dives that are ok, but will not be highlighted in the logbook. This of course is the nature of scuba diving. Not every dive is going to bowl you over; that is until I started diving with Unique Dive Expeditions at Sam’s Tours in Palau.

            From September 2012 until April 2013 I was the captain of a startup liveaboard, the Palau Siren of Worldwide Dive & Sail. It was during this time I got to know Paul Collins, an expat scientist doing ocean geography studies of Palau and doubling as an operations manager of Sam’s Tours. Paul and Sam's Tour's dive guide, Richard Barnden are the reason Unique Dive Expeditions are so unique. For several years now, these two have been studying marine fish behaviors based on the lunar cycle, tidal actions and follow up accounts of Palauan fishermen and divers. Many fish species aggregate to the same reef at a certain time of the month or year with the intention of spawning and it is Paul and Richards job to study and track these behaviors so they can witness with great predictability some amazing spawning events month after month and year after year that very few people have ever seen. They take this scientific knowledge and use it to entertain tourists who travel from all over the world to dive with Sam’s Tour’s in Koror. This is where science crosses over to sport diving. By using scientific data, they can dramatically increase the odds of having a stellar dive and eliminating those that don’t make the cut. They prove with their results that there is more than just luck in finding spectacular marine life at a particular dive site.

  Bump Head            I was lucky to be able to accompany these two on several dives to witness their techniques first hand. My first mind blowing dive was the spawning event of Bolbometopon muricatum or the bumphead parrotfish. The bumphead gets it name for the bulbous hump on its forehead that is just more noticeable than the tooth plate that looks like the jaws of a backhoe. With thick scales, a green to gray hue and sizes up to 25 pounds, these fish are standouts on the reef. To see a dozen bumpheads would be considered a great sighting on any given dive. Today, however, we were about to see several thousand that arrive a few days before a new moon.

            In the early morning, right before the switch of an incoming to an outgoing tide, the bumpheads began to aggregate on the promontory of the reef in front of our own eyes. At first we saw a few dozen but within an hour their number climbed in to the thousands. During this time, in a large procession, they swam away from the reef in to blue water that was reminiscent of a Los Angeles freeway at rush hour. Pretty soon, the current began to switch to outgoing the fishes heads began to change color. (This is likely a sign to the other fish that they are ready to spawn.) Then, with several dozen divers looking on, it happened. Some of the fish swam rapidly upwards with others joining and swimming alongside. Simultaneously, the eggs from the female are released along with the sperm of the males. As the fish collide with each other I see a cloud burst with frantic fish activity all around in the water column. Then, moments later, it begins to really go off. Multitudes of bumpheads up and down the reef simultaneously perform this ritual over and over again. Trying to film the activity was confusing and difficult to know where to point the camera. There was actually too much action! After about 30-60 minutes the spawning events began to slow down and within what seemed like moments, they were gone. There wasn’t a single bumphead wrasse left on the reef.

Bumpheads aggregating on the reef prior to spawning. ©Mike Gerken

            Once back on the boat I could share my excitement with the other divers as to what we just witnessed. To say I was awed was an understatement and the same could be said for the others. The chatter in the boat was filled with adrenaline and disbelief.  For millennia these fish have likely been performing the same routine on this very same section of reef with one goal in mind; to procreate and continue their species.

A video short of the aggregation and spawning of bumphead parrotfish. ©Mike Gerken

            "This dive was just a warm up", Paul indicated. "Wait to you see the red snapper spawning."; (Otherwise known as Lutjanus bohar . With a shake of my head in assent I say, “bring it, I can’t wait!” “Well you’re going to have to wait” Paul began to explain. The red snapper don’t spawn for a few weeks. When I got home, I marked my calendar and patiently waited for the day of the dive to arrive.

            Jump ahead to two weeks and there we were motoring at high speed across the lagoon at sunup on our way to see first hand the red snapper spawning. My camera was loaded, tested and fully charged in anticipation. “This is going to be good”, I said to myself. In a playbook taken right from the bumpheads, the red snappers assembled in the same manner, but this time in the tens of thousands. When I swam down the reef, the mass of fish looked like a swarm of locusts over a Kansas prairie. As I carefully got beneath the horde their sheer numbers blotted out the sun. As we say in Long Island, New York, “This is awesome!”. To make matters more exciting, four eight foot bull sharks arrived at the gathering to attempt to make a meal out of the distracted snappers. The Bulls meandered around the perimeter looking for a weakness keeping their distance from the divers. At one point, Richard got close to one and snapped a photo and the bull shark, not liking the brilliant strobes and electronic impulses, turned tail and swam away at high speed.

A massive aggregation of red snappers that blotted out the sun at times. ©Mike Gerken

            In a matter of moments, like clockwork, the spawning began. Dozens of fish converged around what looked like one fish ascending upwards. Like fireworks on the 4^th of July the cloud bursts of sperm and eggs flowed with the outgoing tide and tarnished the gin blue water above me, below me and on all sides. Predicting when the action was about to happen proved as difficult as with the Bumpheads and my camera was jutting too and fro with excitement. This process repeated itself over again dozens of times up and down the reef.

A beautiful assembly of red snappers at Shark City, Palau. 

            Pretty soon, all the red snappers fulfilled their duty and began to disperse to all corners of the reef, returning to wherever they started from, leaving the stunned divers behind to marvel at what we just saw. To add to the party, large aggregations of barracuda, giant trevally, big eye jacks, black snapper and even a lemon shark appeared adding to the wonderful layer cake of a dive.

               Afterwards, Paul explained that the dive we just did had an average attendance of snappers. “Average” I squawked! I couldn’t imagine more fish than what we just saw, but I took his word for it. Unfortunately, I left Palau before I could return again to see if he was telling the truth. This certainly will give me an excuse for returning very soon.

A must see video of the aggregation and spawning of red snappers. ©Mike Gerken

            To this day, Paul and Richard at Sam's Tour's continue to refine their dive techniques tweaking the entry times and locations on the reefs to deliver, in my professional opinion, the best diving Palau has to offer. Most of the dives I did in Palau were fantastic. Don’t get me wrong, manta rays, gray reef sharks and healthy populations of fish were all part of the joy of diving there, but nothing held a candle to the dives I did with Unique Dive Expeditions. With their science data they were able to deliver great action beneath the waves. When you have been doing this as a long as I have, every so often, you need your batteries recharged and these dives were just the power source I needed.

Afterword

To set up a dive trip with Unique Dive Expeditions of Sam’s Tours, contact reservations@samstours.com or email paul@uniquedivexpeditions.com. Many of the unique dives offered require very early pre-sunup departures, deep dives to over 30 meters with strong currents a factor. If these conditions aren't for you then best to sign up for the standard fare Sam's Tours has to offer which is also outstanding. 

Photo and Video Gallery

Another one of Paul and Richard's dive's is a jaunt to the north of Palau to see the aggregation of these

cute little black tail snappers. I was witness to tens of thousands of these fish. ©Mike Gerken

Richard Barnden pursuing bumpheads for 'the shot'. ©Mike Gerken

Look closely for the large bull shark beneath the red snappers. ©Mike Gerken

A mass of red snappers prior to spawning. 

Visit here for more photos.

Monica Ganame, of Apnea Total, inside Blue Holes in Palau, Micronesia.          

            Since we started running charters two months ago, life for me on board the Palau Siren, has been a non-stop series of tasks to get the operation up and running smoothly. The work has been challenging but enjoyable. To make matters even more interesting, my crew and I had to deal with a near direct hit from super typhoon Bopha a few weeks back. We were very fortunate that the typhoons highest winds at the eye of the storm missed us by a mere few miles. Many lost their homes here in Palau, but miraculously no one was killed or severely injured.

            Even though I have been tied up running a liveaboard, I have had time to do a few dives and take a few photos. Many of the photos I took were ok, but not worthy of a posting online. Sometimes a photographer needs to scope out photo ops, come up with ideas and then go back to shoot it. I was feeling a little discouraged about the images I was landing until I went on a photo shoot with free diving expert Monica Ganame. Monica owns and operates her own freediving school, Apnea Total, based out of Koh Tao, Thailand.

            I’m always on the hunt for an underwater model that possesses a natural grace underwater that gives the appearance that they are a part of the underwater realm, I spotted Monica and her talents early on in the trip and asked her if she would like to do a photo shoot in the famed, Blue Holes dive site in Palau. Blue Holes is a cavern formation that opens up on to a 3000 foot wall. The view is stunning from within and the lighting a challenge to work with. After showing Monica some of my work she agreed to the shoot enthusiastically.

            When dive time came, the group was scheduled to do Blue Corner, another legendary dive site only a few hundred feet away from Blue Holes. After everyone was dropped off at Blue Corner, Monica and I were dropped at Blue Holes and had the great fortune of having the entire cavern to us. No other dive groups had been there.

            As we pulled up to the entrance on top of the wall, I donned my cumbersome scuba gear and rolled over the side with the poise of circus clown. In contrast, Monica wearing only a mask, streamlined wetsuit and long freediving fins slipped fluidly below the water like a dolphin leaving barely a ripple on the surface. While I descended down in to the cavern and set my camera up, Monica remained motionless on the waters surface meditating and practicing her breathing exercises. By breathing in slow and deep and using the diagram to fill up as much of the lung cavity as possible, a free diver will maximize the oxygen they can carry thus staying down longer. The physical technique however, is only part of what is required to dive deeper for longer periods of time. By relaxing the mind and eliminating the fear factor inherent in every human psyche a diver can extend their range and bottom time more than someone whose mind is not at ease with the watery environment. After all it is the brain that tells our body, “you need oxygen buddy and now!” However, like many obstacles to overcome in life, it is factor of mind over matter. Concentration is key.

            After I set my exposures and snapped a few test shots, Monica began her long descent down in to the cavern. I made sure the opening was in view above with the blue water shining through. With ease she made her way down to the 60 foot mark while I continually snapped away. After what seemed like a minute, she began her ascent to the surface where she rested for 5 minutes before taking another dive. With each subsequent trip down she was able to go deeper and longer and the photos got more interesting. On a few of the dives Monica swam horizontally under the cavern and ascended through a totally different opening. For most people this would have been a nerve-racking task, but for her it was no effort.

            So there the two if us stayed for nearly one hour; Monica diving over and over again and I taking as many images as I could. Most often I had to chase her through the cavern from behind, which was a futile effort due to the drag of my dive gear. In the end, she had a great time freediving Blue Holes and I had a great time photographing her. I look forward to our next photo shoot out there somewhere in the ‘Big Blue”.

   The luxury liveaboard dive vessel, the Palau Siren arrived in Palau on September 22^nd of 2012 after a long journey from Bira, Indonesia, where her keel was laid more than 18 months prior. Since our arrival here in Palau, it has been the mission of my crew to get the newest addition to the Worldwide Dive and Sails fleet in to top condition to accept passengers on board for the maiden voyage on October 30^th, 2012. With a lot of hard work, determination and the help of the crew of the Palau Siren’s local partner, Sam’s Tours, she was ready for full service ahead of schedule.

    As the final day approached all the crew from Sam’s and the Palau Siren were anxious to get things under way and show the people of Palau the latest luxury liveaboard in all her glory. To say we weren’t nervous would be misleading. Much effort has gone in to this project for several years now and the moment of truth was about to take place.

            The guests arrived from locales all over the world such as Thailand, Switzerland, Germany, Argentina and the UK. They were given the grand tour of their new home for the next 10 days and to my relief, many expressed great satisfaction at the many creature comforts the Palau Siren had to offer, including hard wood finished staterooms, marble inlaid bathrooms, individual air conditioning units and a brand new “in-float” entertainment system complete with a large selection of movies, music and books to choose from. The fact that the Siren had a fully stocked bar didn’t disappoint anyone either.

            Without wasting any time, all the divers began setting up their equipment on the custom made dive deck each with personal wooden storage lockers in preparation for the next days diving activities to commence. Regulators were checked, camera O-rings lubed and dive masks defogged before all turned in after having a beverage or two from the Palau Siren’s beer tap loaded with the local ales from Palau’s only brewery, the Red Rooster Brewing Company.

           The next morning, breakfast was served; briefings given and the dive boats 29’ long skiffs, powered with a pair of 115hp Yamaha outboards, were loaded up and readied to introduce the world class diving of Palau to the new arrivals.  The Siren left her home mooring in front of Sam’s Tours early that AM and made a very short journey in to Malakal Harbor and dropped anchor in a very scenic location and began loading divers on to the skiffs. Having a pair of high-speed dive boats rather than just one is a luxury many of our competitors do not have. This enables us to split our 16 divers in two groups for a more private dive experience for all. To add to the luxury, each skiff has it’s own local driver and dive guide to service them.

            The first days dives were kept simple but yet exciting, in order for everyone to get ‘their feet wet’ and warm up for the more challenging dives to come. ‘Jakes’ Seaplane, Short Drop Off and Chandelier Cave were first up. The seaplane is a remnant of WWII when the Japanese occupied the islands and used their ideal harbors as refuge to conduct their military campaigns from. The seaplane apparently, sunk at anchor and is fully intact and sits in a mere 18 meters of water. Short Drop Off is the closest reef dive site from the town of Koror and rarely disappoints a new arrival to Palau. Chandelier Cave is more of a cavern than a proper cave. With it’s shallow depths it can be a lot of fun to penetrate within and explore.

            After the days diving was over all sat down and sampled the food of the skilled chefs in the galley and enjoyed a hearty meal. Cocktails, bottles of wine and beer flowed smoothly while all sunk deep in their seats with all senses fully sated.

            Day two found the Palau Siren venturing north to the famed West Passage and Devil Fish City to try our luck at Manta Ray encounters that these sites are renown for. Although, all the diving was well received by the divers, no Manta’s had been found. However, the stunning coral gardens at the dive site, Sunken Bridge were consolation for the no show of the shy Manta’s.

            For the next seven days the Palau Siren zigzagged her way south to Ulong Channel, Ngerchung, Mercherer and Ulachong anchorages, finally ending up at the famed, German Channel. Numerous amazing dives were experienced along the way. Schools of spawning red snapper, black tip and gray reef sharks, beautiful coral walls, anemone’s, green sea turtles and of course Manta Rays.

    If there is any critter that causes more excitement and draws more divers to Palau it is the graceful Manta. With their huge wingspans of over 12 feet and their skills at underwater ballet, the Manta will find a soft spot in even the coarsest of humans. Needless to say, the group from the maiden voyage of the Palau Siren had their share of these gentle giants of the ocean.

            It was at German Channel where most got a front row of up to six Mantas feeding at dusk on an incoming tide. I for one was in the water on one of the dives and even though I have seen Mantas many times before, I had a level excitement like a kid on the last day of school before summer.

            With the amazing subject matter before me, I did manage to land a few decent photos but I aim to have many more as the weeks and months progress for me here in Palau. In North Carolina, it was the sand tiger shark that most interested me. Here in Palau, I can see that it will be the Manta that will get my shutter moving.

            Toward the end of the week one dive boat managed to experience a rare gray reef shark mating ritual off of the island of Peleliu in the south of Palau. More than 100 sharks were witnessed with many of the females sporting fresh wounds from the males that latch on to them during mating. The sharks seemed to be oblivious to the presence of divers in the water and came within arms reach at many moments. Unfortunately for me, I was on the boat tending to my duties here and did not manage to get this all on film, but many of my divers on board did get some money shots.

            In addition to great diving, most on board took part in the land based tour of the island of Peleliu where a horrific battle was fought in WWII between the advancing US marines and the defending Japanese troops who were dug in deep in a labyrinth of cave systems. The battle was bloody and carried on for over a month with high casualties. The men who survived this battle would say it was the worst of war.

     On the final day of the tour, the pair of Palau Siren dive skiffs hit a few more dive sites with our guests in the southern area of Palau before trekking back to home base in Malakal Harbor. All on board were fully gratified by the gourmet food and world class diving at their disposal for the last nine days.

            I did want to take a moment to thank my crew for an amazing job well done. I have never before had such a hard working, loyal group on board any vessel. I for one see great things in the future for the Palau Siren, her crew and passengers in the coming years if our success can be based on the great feedback received after our first trip.

            The charter came to an end with the start of the last evening barbecue on the back deck. Juicy tender beef tenderloins, chicken and an assortment of savory foods were dished up and washed down with a cold beer and glass of wine by all while a toast was made by the owner, Frank Van der Wilde in honor of the maiden voyage of the Palau Siren. I can’t speak for my crew, but I know I was very proud of what we all accomplished at this moment and I look forward to many more amazing dive excursions in the future.

Photo of the Week

On September 18, 2012 (my 45th birthday) Annette spots the equator from the Palau Siren.

I'm not sure why they chose yellow as the color. 

©Mike Gerken; www.evolutionunderwater.com

            The human desire to be rooted and to feel the security that comes with surrounding yourself with familiar people, places and things is a powerful one. To ignore this potent human instinct and sell your possessions, quit your job, leave family and friends and travel half way around the world does not come easy for most; and that is understandable. Often it is adversity that causes people to do this more readily, such as failed relationships, to seek out a better job or simply to survive. However, adversity is not the only reason to behave so irrationally.

            There is an expression I picked up while living in Vanuatu in 2006 that explains this. It says there are four types of people otherwise known as the four M’s who pack up and move away from all they know to third world locales. They are: Mercenaries; those seeking riches and desire to pillage and plunder; Missionaries; those who desire to spread the word as they see it; Misinformed; those who are seeking the idyllic paradise on earth only to discover no matter where they go they will find problems in society regardless of how tall the coconut trees are or how brilliant the sunset is. And lastly, Misanthropes or Misfits; those who want to escape the rat race and get away from people in general. Of course, these four M’s are only humorous generalizations and don’t cover the last reason. Many, such as myself, can’t resist the human desire to explore and seek adventure. After a four-year hiatus from travelling, I found myself once again packing my board shorts, dive gear and cameras to satisfy this latter instinct. 

            This last move however was the hardest one for me to make yet. I returned to the USA in 2008 after living and working in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia for six years where I resigned as captain of the liveaboard, Truk Odyssey and took up a position as captain of the dive vessel, Midnight Express with Olympus Dive Center in North Carolina. I quickly found myself in a very desirable place, closer to friends and family and enjoying the world class diving the Outer Banks has to offer. It was here, at Olympus where I met my partner, Annette Papa who, like me, has a zest for diving and a yen to see the world.

The Palau Siren awaiting departure for Palau from Bira, Indonesia. 

            In 2011, I took notice of the growing liveaboard company, Worldwide Dive & Sail (WWDS) based out of Phuket, Thailand. Worldwide has luxury liveaboards throughout Southeast Asia and the Maldives. I saw they were planning on launching a new vessel in Palau in late 2012. I approached the owner; Frank Van der Wilde at one of the dive trade shows and pitched to him the idea of me captaining the Palau Siren. I suppose with my strong background working on liveaboards in Micronesia he thought it too was a good idea. Pretty soon I was offered the job with a start date of early September 2012. Annette was also offered a job a dive instructor with the prominent land based operator and local partner of WWDS in Palau, Sam’s Tours.

The GPS as we approached the equator heading northeast to Palau.

            It was all set. I was to return to Micronesia yet again for the third time, but this time with Annette to share the ride. However, leaving Olympus Dive Center, our home in the town of Beaufort and the great friends that we had made was no easy task. The two of us had became very attached to our surroundings including my beloved sand tiger sharks that I had photographed extensively for the past four years. Leaving was downright difficult, but the call to try a new job in a new place was stronger and the opportunity to photograph on a brand new canvas only added to the excitement.

            During the day we went diving while in the evening I packed, shipped and threw out stuff left and right. Annette departed a day before I did to say goodbye to her family while I stayed on to the very end.

Lovely Annette Papa posing for a shot on the bow of the Palau Siren.

            After my last charter at Olympus, the owner and friend of mine, Robert Purifoy invited all on the dock for a champagne toast in my honor. I could not have been more flattered. As I began to pop the bottle of bubbly open I saw in the corner of my eye a large bucket that I assumed had water in it about to be dumped on my head by Robert himself. I had about 1 second to think about the contents of the bucket and how I hoped it did not have ice and Gatorade in it. As luck would have it was only lukewarm tap water. All at the dock sipped champagne and had a great laugh. This helped alleviate the sad task of having to say goodbye to my friends and co-workers. Once the last hugs and handshakes were offered I quickly made my way to the door and didn’t look back since I hate goodbyes and have had to do it this many times in my life.

            On the morning of my last day in Beaufort, NC I awoke at the crack of dawn, dragged my mattress down the stairs to the curb and left a sign that read, “Free Stuff” and placed it along side a bunch of other items not worthy for the trash. I mopped the floor and removed my keys from my key chain, placed them on the counter and with a tear in my eye sadly said good-bye to my home once again.

One of the many beautiful scenes while cruising through the Indonesian archipelago on board

the Palau Siren before entering the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

            Four days later, four flights, two hotels and eight trays of crummy airline food later, we arrived in Indonesia and met up the crew and owner of the Palau Siren to begin our 9 day, 1400 mile trip to Palau across the Pacific Ocean. The crossing was luckily uneventful with decent weather the entire trip. I suppose the highlight was crossing the equator for the first time in my life. Once the latitude on the GPS clicked to 00 degrees 00.001 minutes North the excitement was over and the ocean looked much the same once again; big, beautiful and blue.

Our first sight of Palau after 10 days of travel. The south side of Anguar Island.

It was windy, rainy and overcast; a perfect Micronesian welcome. 

           Upon arrival in Palau on Sept 22, we motored into Malaakal Harbor and dropped anchor. Once the hook was set the crew all took a deep breath and high fived one another for a job well done. Now it was time for the hard work to begin. In the coming weeks we will be preparing the Siren to start her first trip on October 30. Moorings must be set, routes planned and the boat readied. As the day fast approaches I will keep you all up to speed on the latest developments and start posting dive stories as soon as I get back in the water. In the meanwhile, the process of making Palau feel like my new home is a work in progress.

Happy Diving!

-Mike

Afterword

The images below of the vessels under construction are of two new Siren Fleet vessels scheduled to launch in the near future. This boat yard was located in Bira, Indonesia. The builders used many traditional techniques with mostly hand tools to complete the work. I will have a more detailed report on this in the future.

Photo Gallery

Annette in front of the construction site of two new Siren vessels.

The scaffolding may look precarious and that is because it was.            

The Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba Dive Team.

North Carolina, August 17-19, 2012

From left to right; Danny Facciola-Instructor, Charles Stringer, Brett Graveline,

Preston Kaplan, Marc Robledo, Dave Lewis-Instructor, Matt White-(not shown)

     Olympus Dive Center was honored once again to have received some of the men from Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba on August 17-19, 2012 and I had an even bigger honor of being the one to take them diving on board the Midnight Express. (Learn more about SUDS in my previous Blog Report, SUDS & Subs from 2011.) Accompanied by SUDS instructors Danny Facciola and Dave Lewis the men were in good hands for the entire long weekend.

    If there is a group of men who can instill feelings of pride in your country it is these guys. Seeing them participate in scuba diving after overcoming grievous wounds received in battle is inspiring to watch. I think of people like this when I catch myself complaining about trivial matters in life and it places things in proper perspective for me since I have never heard one of these service men complain about anything on board my boat, except maybe when instructor Dave Lewis snores too loud.

    With a warm up 60' dive on the wreck of the Indra on Friday the men were off to a great start. Visibility was a bit low around 10 feet, but it helped sharpen skills and prepare them for coming dives. On Saturday, we headed to the wreck of the Caribsea to check out the sand tiger sharks that have been loitering around all summer at this premier NC dive site. The visibility on the bottom at 90 feet was a little on the murky side, as it usually is, but with the bulk of the shark population hovering in the blue mid water, it did not matter; the guys had a blast. Many stayed within eye shot of the boat in 40' of water and watched the parade of sharks by the dozens march by as well as the thick schools of spanish mackerel, little tunny's and amberjacks that made the scenery all the more exciting.

The SUDS Team - Brett Graveline, Matt White, Charles Stringer, Danny Facciola, Marco Robledo & Preston Kaplan

     Due to responsibilities on the boat I was unable to dive with the SUDS guys, but I did manage to jump in during surface interval and capture some video of my buddies, the sand tigers. As usual, I had a great experience swimming amongst these awesome marine creatures and used a few clips from this dive in the video below.

    With the coming of Sunday, it was time to head south out of Beaufort inlet and head on over to one of the hottest shark lounges in North Carolina, Club Aeolus. If you have not heard of any of the stories or seen any of the video from this wreck dive you are missing out. Sharks have been hanging out inside this wreck all summer long and their numbers seem to be growing as the weeks pass by. The Aeolus on this day was a pleasant 40-50 foot of visibility and the SUDS guys got to see what all the hubbub was all about for themselves.

    Once again I did not get to dive with the SUDS team but I did video this clip below after they all returned to the boat and I had my chance to dive.  Click play and see the action for yourself.

#48 Nashville Lifestyles Dog Cover © Moments By Moser 3

Club Aeolus 

August 18, 2012

   Once the guys had there fill of sharks, we headed over to the USCG Cutter Spar to log a dive on this top notch wreck site. This time I managed to steal away from the boat and jump in with the SUDS team and shoot a quick bit of video and still images. The team had already been down for about 10 minutes before I managed to get in the water so I had to move quick to capture the moment on video. As I headed down to the wreck I quickly caught sight of the SUDS team led by Danny and Dave, hanging about the watch tower on the Spar. Danny spotted me right off and immediately began gathering the team up for a group photo shoot atop the wreck. By the time I arrived on the scene, these well trained men were all in position for a fantastic group video and photo shot. Without further ado why don't you watch this short video tribute clip below.

Diving with these guys has once again been a great pleasure and honor. I feel that the training these men received and the diving they do is a small way of thanking them for the service and sacrifices they have made. I can say for sure they deserve this and much much more.

Happy Diving!

-Mike Gerken

Photo of the Week Carcharias taurus within the wreck of the Aeolus. (New) ©Mike Gerken

      The wreck of the Aeolus, which lies 28 miles south of Morehead City, NC was the sight of a very exciting photo shoot for myself this past Saturday where numerous sand tiger sharks, maybe a dozen strong, had gathered within the wreck. Every once in a while you will find a shark or two loitering about inside the wrecks here in North Carolina, but to see this many is a rare occurrence. From the stand point of a photographer, this makes for some great subject matter.

     With my favorite 10.5mm Nikon fisheye lens and D300 camera I carefully made myself at home inside the stern section of the wreck and snapped away until my fingers bled. OK, maybe that's a stretch; my fingers didn't actually bleed, but the opportunities for great photos were everywhere and my flash was firing rapidly. The eerie light emanating from outside of the deteriorating wreck made for a superb backdrop for the sharks lurking about within their dark night club. I was a kid in a candy store with one 'keeper' photo after another filling my camera's memory card.

 

     Several sharks even swam up and down the companionway on the port side of the wreck which is lined with stunning brilliant purple colored sea fans. There's nothing like adding a little color to a scene to spice it up your image. Human models couldn't have posed for a better shot than these sharks and I don't have to pay them.

     After about thirty minutes of pure bliss with my 'fave' sharks, it was time to head up to my divers waiting up top. This past weekend a group from Seahorse Scuba in Midlothian, Virginia chartered the boat I skipper for Olympus Dive Center. They too had a look at the Aeolus and her sand tiger shark squatters.

 

     The past few years the Aeolus has had sporadic sand tiger sightings on her remains while the neighboring wreck of the USCGS Spar was the hot spot for shark sightings. Although the Spar still has sand tigers on it this season, the Aeolus seems to attract more this dive season. Not much is known why or where sand tigers roam in their range of habitat but studies are being done in Delaware State University by Dr. Dewayne Fox and by The Guy Harvey Research Institute. By attaching transmitters much is being learned of the sharks migratory patterns. When I find out more about the results I'll be passing this information on to you.

     The Aeolus wasn't the only wreck visited by the divers from Seahorse Scuba. They also got a taste of the USCG Cutter Spar and were introduced for the first time to the wreck of the legendary U-352. A visit to the North Carolina coast to dive would not be complete until one scratched a few lines into their dive log about this wreck experience. Visibility has been around 30-40 feet depending on where you dive. These conditions certainly aren't the best North Carolina has to offer, but not the worst either.

     Presently, the Midnight Express has been grounded due to bad weather on this day, but we are scheduled to run again on Tuesday and Wednesday with the gang from New Joisey's, Ocean Explorers headed up by Jim Masters and Donna Gunn. I'll have more about their dives very soon. Rumor has it we are heading to the Caribsea to see some sharkies. So what else is new?

Happy Diving!

-Mike Gerken
 

Photo Gallery

 

Crazy Outer Banks weather can be scary and awe inspiring at the same time. This storm dumped more than an inch in a few hours and caused damage up and down the eastern coast of the US. Shot taken on July 1, 2012 at the Olympus Dive Center dock.

 

Sand tiger shark on the wreck of the Aeolus. (New)

 

Sand tiger with brilliant purple sea fans. (New)

 

Sand tiger 'strolling' down the port companionway of the Aeolus. (New)

 

Sand tiger hanging out in 'Club' Aeolus. (New)

 

Annette Papa shooting with her new D7000 on the W.E. Hutton aka Papoose.

 

A black and white sand tiger shark. A very rare species.

 

Annette Papa posing with her new 'baby'.

 

Annette Papa hanging out in the deep dark and dangerous.

 

 

     

Photo of the Week Barracuda residing on the wreck of the USCGC Spar. (New) ©Mike Gerken; WWW.EVOLUTIONUNDERWATER.COM

My home away from home, the Midnight Express wheelhouse.  Photo by Annette Papa.

     This past week proved to be a good one for diving at Olympus Dive Center on board the Midnight Express. I ran charters Thursday June 7 thru Sunday June 10 with a reprieve for a few days this week. The conditions offshore have been great and bordering on super with flat calm seas over the weekend with visibility edging up to 60 feet at times; depending on where we were diving. A stiff north wind earlier in the week did manage to drop the water temps down a few degrees from 78-74 degrees but it is warming up again quickly.

Editor & Chief of Wreck Diving Magazine, Joe Porter hemmed in by Olympus Dive Center's Robert Purifoy and Nema Triplett.

     Also, Joe Porter, the Editor & Chief of the renown Wreck Diving Magazine came up to Olympus for a quick getaway dive on Saturday before returning to his busy schedule at home. Word has it he had some great dives. It was nice to see him out enjoying the perfect weather conditions and we look forward to his return with his lovely wife Heidi in the near future.

A test shot of the Midnight Express with the full frame Nikon D800 and a 16mm Fisheye lens.

      That is a lot of MP's for the average photographer, but you can never have too many I say, especially with the price tag this camera comes with. The body of the Nikon D800 runs $3,000 but when you consider that only 5-8 years ago a camera with this large a sensor ran as high as $25,000 or more. There is a lot of performance in the D800 for the price. Due to these large files this camera is not recommended for action/sports photography since the frames per second is hampered to a mere 4 per second at full frame. That speed suits my needs for underwater applications. So far I am pleased as punch with this unit, but I have a lot more experimentation to go. I will keep you all posted.

Some territorial barracudas on the Spar made for great subject matter. Taken with Nikon D300; 16mm fisheye lens.

Taken with Nikon D300; 16mm fisheye lens.

'Midnight' mate, Brian Moore making a grand entry off the pulpit. Taken with Nikon D800; 12-24DX lens.

 

Crew hanging out on the bow on a beautiful flat calm day. Taken with Nikon D800; 12-24DX lens.

Annette Papa and Anna Yeager of Olympus, tag teamed a bunch of lionfish this weekend. Those fish didn't stand a chance. Taken with Nikon D800; 12-24DX lens.

 

Flat calm day + great vis makes for some happy divers. Taken with Nikon D800; 12-24DX lens.