X-Ray Mag #101

Feature articles in this issue with stand-alone pdfs

Simon Pridmore  

In Part I of this two-part series (see issue 100), I made a correlation between scuba diving and driving a car, particularly in the context of learning how to anticipate and assess dangerous situations, make well-informed sensible decisions and stay safe—things that motorists tend to group together under the catch-all phrase of defensive driving.

Massimo Ardizzoni   Larry Cohen , Massimo Ardizzoni

I started cave diving in Italy in 1990. At that time, the rules were very clear, codified and related to the kind of caves that were encountered in my region. Very often, they were resurgences with current (sometimes strong) or sumps inside caves, with water ranging from crystal clear to the color of coffee and variable visibility, depending on the rains. After years of cave diving, having acquired a certain level of experience, I thought I knew “the whole panorama” of cave diving procedures. But then I got involved in a new project in 2017, when I decided to move to Mexico to live and work there.

Japan’s diving scene used to be a well-kept secret, but more and more people have realised that Japan has much more to offer than just sushi and karaoke. The country spans a vast latitudinal range, from the tropical south where coral reefs dominate around Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, into the almost subarctic north. As a result, its biological diversity is great, with many different habitats accommodating a wide array of species.

Edited by G. Symes   Joseph R. Tomelleri
Pumpkinseed, by Joseph R. Tomelleri. Giclée print, 8 x 10in (~20 x 25cm), signed and numbered limited edition of 200. This freshwater sunfish typically measures 4in (10cm) in length.

Rendered for scientific accuracy, the brilliantly detailed and colorful illustrations of fish by American artist Joseph R. Tomelleri have appeared in over a thousand publications. X-Ray Mag interviewed the artist, who is based in Leawood, Kansas, to learn more about his artwork and his perspectives.

X-Ray Mag Contributors   X-Ray Mag Contributors

As many divers face travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, our contributors highlight the often overlooked or unsung yet intriguing diving that can be found in one's own backyard.

X-Ray Mag Contributors   X-Ray Mag Contributors
Photo by Scott Bennett: Diver and coral on the MV Shake’M wreck in Grenada

We asked our contributors what their favorite wreck dive was and they answered with tales and images of remarkable wrecks of all sorts and the artifacts found on them, giving first-hand accounts of their experiences on these underwater time capsules as well as glimpses into the history of each wreck. X-Ray Mag contributors reveal the eerie beauty and reverence of underwater wrecks and wreck sites—from the tropical waters of Grenada, Chuuk Lagoon, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, to the subtropical waters of the Florida Keys, Southern California, the Egyptian Red Sea and Queensland, Australia, to the temperate waters off North Carolina, Newfoundland and Croatia.

X-Ray Mag Contributors   X-Ray Mag Contributors
Photo by Scott Bennett: Diver and coral on the MV Shake’M wreck in Grenada

We asked our contributors what their favorite wreck dive was and they answered with tales and images of remarkable wrecks of all sorts and the artifacts found on them, giving first-hand accounts of their experiences on these underwater time capsules as well as glimpses into the history of each wreck. X-Ray Mag contributors reveal the eerie beauty and reverence of underwater wrecks and wreck sites—from the tropical waters of Grenada, Chuuk Lagoon, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, to the subtropical waters of the Florida Keys, Southern California, the Egyptian Red Sea and Queensland, Australia, to the temperate waters off North Carolina, Newfoundland and Croatia.

X-Ray Mag Contributors   X-Ray Mag Contributors
Photo by Scott Bennett: Diver and coral on the MV Shake’M wreck in Grenada

We asked our contributors what their favorite wreck dive was and they answered with tales and images of remarkable wrecks of all sorts and the artifacts found on them, giving first-hand accounts of their experiences on these underwater time capsules as well as glimpses into the history of each wreck. X-Ray Mag contributors reveal the eerie beauty and reverence of underwater wrecks and wreck sites—from the tropical waters of Grenada, Chuuk Lagoon, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, to the subtropical waters of the Florida Keys, Southern California, the Egyptian Red Sea and Queensland, Australia, to the temperate waters off North Carolina, Newfoundland and Croatia.

Matthew Meier   Matthew Meier

Slipping softly into the water, I had a straight path to the mother and calf that were resting near the surface only a short distance away. We closed the gap as quietly as a group of excited first-time whale watchers could manage and were rewarded with an initial glimpse of humpback whales from under the water. The newborn stayed close to its mother and swam up and over her rostrum as we looked on.

Outside my window, the South Atlantic lay unbroken—an azure expanse of ocean below and sky above. Three hours after passing the Namibian coast, a lone patch of clouds appeared on the horizon. As we approached, I could just discern patches of green peering through. Atop a narrow ridge, a tiny strip of runway appeared, the sheer drops at each end plummeting to the sea. The necessity of the refuelling stop in Windhoek became apparent; if landing conditions were not favourable, we would have to return to Windhoek. There simply was not anywhere else to go.

Rico Besserdich   Rico Besserdich
Photo by Rico Besserdich

Adobe Photoshop is the number one tool for image editing and provides a large number of editing tools and options—far too many of them actually. But the good news here is that, for editing our underwater images, we only need a few. There are some real gems hiding in the depths of this software, and one of them is great for giving underwater images a final “color kick.” This tutorial refers to Adobe Photoshop CS6 but works with older versions as well.

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