thejhh's Xanga

PHOTOGRAPHS

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 19:52:01 GMT

My pictures of Australian wildlife

Just moments out of an egg, a baby crocodile in tropical North Queensland.

Much larger crocodiles have made a return to the rivers and beaches in North Queensland and present a hazard to swimmers (along with sharks and killer jellyfish).

Away from the coast and in clearer waters of the Great Barrier Reef different warnings apply.

Seen on beautiful Fraser Island (the largest sand island in the world) are these pure dingo's - beautiful and wild.

Last year one attacked and killed a small child on holiday. Park rangers responed with a cull that killed many of the dogs. Visitors are warned not to feed the dogs and to lock food away at night. Special cages are provided at camping grounds for this purpose.

Dogs will steal and chew leather shoes left outside a tent at night. They are obviously always hungary.

A warning not to run over a large shark with your outboard motor. This 3.5 meter long creature probably thought it was being attacked and turned on the boat with it's teeth.

The shark held a vice-like grip for about five minutes before relaxing and swimming away. The pontoon of the dinghy was destroyed.

The three occupants (and a small dog) had a rather terrifying time even although two of them were experienced divers and former shark hunters.

Karma?

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 01:21:29 GMT

Top picture: Local Greg 'Thomo' Thompson catches squid off Seal Rocks village. Centre: Local fishermen net schooling bream. Lower: Grey Nurse shark school at big Seal Rock.

"13th March 2006. Visibility 10 to 20 metres on the inshore reefs. Offshore The Pinnacle has been 20 to 30 metres. Water temp up to 24C.

Up to 50 GNS on "The Barge" over the last week.

The GNS have moved out from the gutters of Latitude Rock, we think to The Barge.

The Pinnacle has schools of Kingfish and Jewfish whirl-pooling, together with attendant big black rays and just a few but BIG Grey Nurse sharks,

Seal Rocks on the weekend, visibility 20 metres at the Big Rock, with ONE HUNDRED Grey Nurse in The Grotto.

Dived Little Seal Rock as well on the weekend, great visibility and 40 GN sharks in the gutters there."

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:51:18 GMT

The blond often in a black bikini as featured in Ben Cropp television documentaries is Lynn Roberts of Port Douglas, pictured here with painted crayfish during a day out on Batt Reef with Ben and I.

Together we have spent several months on the northern Great Barrier Reef with Ben as he filmed sharks and shipwrecks from aboard Freedom III.

Ben was curator of his own shipwreck museum for many years. His most noteable discovery was the wreck of HMS Pandora - the discovery credit was shared equally with Steve Domm who was conducting his own seperate underwater search similtaneously in the same area.

Jodie and Petrina

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:50:05 GMT

These samples were a camera lens test in 1989.

Photographed in the Tweed Heads river at high tide, when the clear ocean sometimes floods in.

Other locations for guaranteed clear ocean modelling pictures:

1. The warm to 'hot' fresh water springs at Howard Springs, Australia's Northern Territory (ideal during the southern winter).

2. The Coral Sea - outside the Great Barrier Reef where visibility is always 120 to 250 feet (requires lengthy charter boat voyage). Best time April and May. September and October.

3.Mount Gambier's Ewen Ponds- crystal clear freshwater in South Australia (but very cold water therefore wet suit required).

ALBINO GREEN TURTLE HATCHLING

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:29:53 GMT

Albino green turtle discovered in turtle nest on beach in Mackay, Queensland.

“Normally they would not live long in the wild as they either get eaten, or badly sunburnt, and their eyesight is affected by the strong sunlight.

We are hoping he will survive, and if he does ReefHQ will be applying for a license to keep him in captivity, where he has a much stronger chance of survival.

He is eating well and very active in the tank, even diving to the bottom”.photo by Julie Jones (Photographic library).

www.gbrmpa.gov.au

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Sat, 25 Feb 2006 19:29:50 GMT

GREAT WHITE SHARK........Neptune Islands, South Australia

aaaaahhhha as seen from less than one meter.

Cairns-based Tony Gordon, video cameraman and photographer made this stunning stills image while working with Wild Things (a TV nature series originating from North America).

This picture was sent to JHH who says it's the most stunning white pointer shark picture he's seen in years.

The picture captures movement of the great beast while freezing the large triangular teeth - a focal point of the graphic image.

tonygordon@whitelightfilm.com

About the size of a small green pea, these little worms withdraw into their homes in a fraction of a second. Sometimes you'll see a piece of coral covered with hundreds of these beauties - the largest about double to size of this little one. They are found in several colours, but especially reds, blues and whites.

This picture was made with a Sony Cybershot T-1 before it drowned - due to human error! A reminder to check the main O-rings immediately prior to the swim - a single human hair is all it took to cause a leak, and it's amazing how easily it got there.

An adult whaler shark, or bull shark as seen in clear waters of Great Detached Reef. It's always nicer to see this hazardeous species when the ocean is calm and clear.

I think if you were to tag this shark there would be a very good chance it would be still seen here in 12 months time.

Definately a territorial creature, as are most of the reef fish seen nearby.

Observations like this are possible where few boats and visitors reach. This great reef is near Raine Island, Cape York, Queensland, Australia.

VALERIE TAYLOR ......underwater photographer - artist

Computer oil painting effect on digital image made last week at a BBQ at her Sydney home.

When the first abalone divers arrived at Mallacoota, the Victorian holiday town near the New South Wales border, the result was like a gold rush.

Although the prices being paid for abalone meat were only 5% of what is paid today (adjusted figures), there was tons of the shellfish all along the coast.

Meanwhile in nearby New South Wales divers were stripping the reefs of under-sized shellfish. The state fisheries took decades to respond with regulations but when they did the damage had been done.

A popular weekly magazine Everybody’s sent writer Bob Stains and I to Mallacoota to do the first report on this underwater gold rush. Today most divers would be more reserved and cautious when speaking to the media.

Kiwi Ricky Hale (pictured with Greg Moncrief in background) were part of that early team of about 50 divers each with a fast speedboat. A few years later most had quit.

Those that stayed on were the fortunate ones who were given the license – today worth about $5 to $7 million and offering a guaranteed income of about $500 000 per year.

There are countless abalone stories of the characters involved in all southern states.

Most, but not all have a happy ending, all involve lots of money and the effect that is produced by a sudden wealth to once poor people.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 23:01:27 GMT

A Sydney lawyer and later a QC Patrick Costello Pictured in a Double Bay restaurant.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 03:26:40 GMT

Dolphin girl

Temptation for Dolphin

A dream swim for many. The mermaid being Kerry O'Neill of North Stradbroke Island, Queensland. She was a guest at the Pet Porpoise Pool Coffs Harbour, the only dolphin aquarium now left in the state - once there were four.

Another baby dolphin recently born in their new much larger and deeper pool - happiness is a warm pool.

Kathy Troutt was the original dolphin girl who gained experience internationally for her expertise with these animals.

Kathy was hired to work with feature films featuring dolphin. Her expertise enhanced in a London UK pantomine with performing dolphin, during the 1970's.

Kathy's recollection of the advances of male dolphin is quite startling - she believed one did a provokative suggestive action toward her at times when she performed in the UK pantomine play with him! He'd substitute his pectoral fin with something else!!!!

Kathy believed the dolphin knew exactly what he was doing - it was no accident or error.

Follow this story one day in Kathy's own words when we next find her whereabouts. Last known working on movies at the Gold Coast of Queensland.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:59:22 GMT

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:55:51 GMT

Balabala was a young lady who was born on Nukuoro Atoll in the Eastern Caroline Islands. She now lives in mainland USA.