A huge crustacean has been found lurking 7km down in the waters off the coast of New Zealand.

The creature – called a supergiant – is a type of amphipod, which are normally around 2-3cm long.

But these beasts, discovered in the Kermadec Trench, were more than 10 times bigger: the largest found measured in at 34cm.

Alan Jamieson, from the University of Aberdeen’s Oceanlab, said: “It’s a bit like finding a foot-long cockroach.”

Last updated at 8:31 AM on 4th January 2012

A hybrid black tip shark containing both common and Australian black tip DNA in Australian waters. The mating of the local Australian black-tip shark with its global counterpart, was an unprecedented discovery with implications for the entire shark world

Scientists have found the world’s first hybrid sharks in waters off Australia – a discovery that researchers said could have implications for the whole world.

The predators are a cross between the common blacktip shark and the Australian blacktip shark.

Scientists say interbreeding between the two species is a sign the animals are adapting to warmer waters. They have also warned it could make the sharks stronger.

Read Full Article at DailyMail.com

After a journey through unprotected waters, an endangered Hector’s dolphin has made a rare visit to Wellington Harbour and sparked a call for further sightings.

The dolphins are usually seen only around the South Island, but on Monday one was spotted at Mahanga Bay, near the tip of Miramar peninsula on the Eastbourne side.

Hectors dolphins - the world’s smallest dolphins.

Conservation Department biodiversity programme area manager Peter Simpson said having one of the world’s smallest and rarest dolphins in the harbour was a special occasion.

A dead Hector’s washed up on Petone beach in 1978, and the first live sighting was in January 2009. That dolphin was seen several times in the following few weeks but none have been seen in the harbour since.

Monday’s sighting was made by a National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research staff member in a boat, and Mr Simpson said the department was confident that it was a Hector’s, even though the Hector’s population is on the east coast of the South Island.

A person on shore had seen two dolphins, but only one had been seen from the boat. “The dolphin spent about five minutes zooming under and around the boat – with the engine in neutral – before disappearing.” DOC staff were unable to find it again yesterday.

“The next step is to try and get a high-quality photograph and genetic sample of the dolphin to see if it is the same or a different individual from the one that visited us in 2009.”

There are fewer than 8000 Hector’s dolphins, while the North Island sub-species of Maui’s dolphins, found around Taranaki and further north, are thought to number only about 100.

“Genetic analysis may help us to determine if the animal is indeed a Hector’s dolphin, as was the case in 2009, or if it is the extremely rare Maui’s dolphin.”

A serious topic became a fun activity when youngsters got their first taste of scuba diving at Tauranga’s Oceanz Dive Conference and Exhibition held over the weekend.

The conference for dive enthusiasts included Earth2Ocean dive shop using the containers lost overboard from the Rena as inspiration for an interesting challenge in an inflatable pool outside Oceanz’ venue at Baycourt.

Once kids were rigged up with an air tank, they were fitted with blacked-out goggles and told to feel around the floor of the pool to retrieve seven containers – actually lead weights. The reward for perserverance was a bag of lollies.

Jack McLaren, 11, was absolutely stoked to get the chance to go scuba diving at Oceanz 2011 Joel Ford

Tauranga Intermediate pupil Jack McLaren of Papamoa, an enthusiastic free diver who has explored the reefs of Fiji with his parents, needed no persuading to give it a go. A bag of lollies later and he was looking forward to enrolling in one of Earth2Ocean’s 10-week introductory scuba diving courses early next year.

Children from as young as 10 can take the plunge, graduating from Earth2Ocean’s four-metre-deep pool to open water diving. The dive shop’s co-owner Chris Munday said it was a chance for the kids to give it a try and if they liked it they could give it a go for real.

Jack, who can hold his breath for about 75 seconds, said he was really looking forward to not having to surface for lung-fulls of air when he was diving in pursuit of a fish or something else that was interesting. “By the time I have gone back down, the fish can be gone. I’m really looking forward to scuba diving.”

Meanwhile, Oceanz organiser Shane Wasik said the event had been brilliant for the dive enthusiasts who travelled from as far afield as the top of the South Island to attend the rebirth of an event last held in the late-1990s.

Read the full article here.

5:30 AM Wednesday Nov 9, 2011

Paul Watson. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson believes whaling in the Antarctic is at a tipping point, but no thanks to the “useless” New Zealand Government.

The outspoken, uncompromising eco-warrior will soon hoist his ship’s Jolly Roger for conservation group Sea Shepherd’s eighth voyage to the Southern Ocean to chase and harass Japanese whalers.

This summer’s battle is expected to be fiercer than usual because the Japanese are sending a strengthened fleet with armed guards to the Antarctic for the first time in three years.

Watson, 60, is in Auckland to attend the New Zealand premiere of a biographical documentary Eco-Pirate.

Read Full Article at NZ Herald

8:37 AM Thursday Nov 10, 2011

Underwater Association president Shane Wasik will ask the owners of the stricken Rena to leave part of the ship on Astrolabe Reef as a diving wreck. Photo / Alan Gibson

The container ship that brought an environmental tragedy to the Bay of Plenty could become a tourist-pulling underwater wonder, says a national marine group.

which is sponsoring a national divers’ conference in Tauranga this weekend, wants part of the crippled MV Rena to remain as a shipwreck and will approach Greek owners Costamare Shipping with the plan.

The bid comes as a new nationwide campaign backed by 5000 people puts fresh pressure on Costamare to cover the disaster’s entire damage bill, saving millions of taxpayer dollars.

Pumping of heavy fuel oil from the submerged number five starboard wing tank on the Rena began last night.

Operations were hampered yesterday, as salvors had to purge air from the vessel’s last full oil tank before pumping could begin.

Read Entire Article at NZ Herald 

6pm, Wednesday 28th September 2011
Room 3.403 in the Engineering Building, Auckland University

We will be reporting on a huge 2011 at the club, the club’s 50th year in operation!

We’ll be electing a new committee for 2012. Nominations are being called for the committee positions:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Open Water Training Officer
• Advanced Training Officer
• Trips Officer
• Boat Officer
• Gear Officer
• Webmaster
• Spearfishing Officer
• Flotsam Editor
• Grants Officer
• Conservation Officer
• General Committee

If you are interested in joining the club committee, please don’t hesitate to email the person currently in the role for more information, or email Will on boat@akunidive.com. All nominations should be emailed to Anna on secretary@akunidive.com.

Dive Tutukaka have generously donated a day trip to the Poor Knights Islands, including full equipment. This prize is valued at more than $200!
ONLY MEMBERS WHO ATTEND THE AGM ARE IN TO WIN!

Our Russell to Paihia snorkel race team have also generously donated a dinner cruise valued at $95 with Darryl’s Dinner Cruises in Paihia (or $95 off a cruise for 2).

We will be voting on changes to our club’s constitution. Please view the proposed changes highlighted in yellow.

On top of all of that we will be welcoming guest speaker Major David Grundy who will speak on “How to apply lessons learned from the ER and war to dive related accidents”.

Committee Nominations: Email Anna on secretary@akunidive.com.
Questions: Email Will on boat@akunidive.com.

For those keen underwater photographers out there, here is some information you might find of interest.

Most importantly, read the Underwater Photographer’s Code of Practice.

This book is the bible for underwater photographers, and it’s currently on sale from Fishpond (41% off!). Shout yourself a copy, you won’t regret it.

The Underwater Photographer by Martin Edge (Fourth Edition)

I stumbled across this today – Eric Cheng’s Top 10 Underwater Photography Tips. The magnificent photographs will delight you.

Brian Mayes – here is somebody doing incredible things with a Canon G9 in Canon housing (no strobes, no external lights) – his macro photography is inspired and a testament to what can be achieved with a very simple setup by today’s standards.

Get close and shoot up!

Happy shooting,
Ali Perkins
Vice President 2011

Most brands recommend an annual service of regulators, and scuba tanks require servicing every year (visual every year, hydro every second year).

The Dive Doctor is offering AUUC members:

25% off servicing for the entire month of August

Prepare for summer and the opening of the scallop season on 1st September by getting your gear into shape now!

Thanks to the Dive Doctor we’ve just had all of our club regulators, tanks and BCs serviced, so our hire gear is in fantastic shape.