Newsletter Extra

July 2006 Newsletter

Feature Story Mommy Monk Seals One of the treats of diving day after day at a location such as Sharks Cove on Oahu's North Shore, is the chance to see the endangered Hawaiian Monk seal. This summer I have had the pleasure of getting some great footage of this magnificent marine mammal both above and below the ocean surface. The underwater video is of seal #N6 (not what I would call her but that's what is on her side). She hung around for a few days but Sharks Cove has way too many people for her to tolerate. She was pregnant at the time and I assume she gave birth already, but no sightings in the last month. The Mom and pup on the beach (see photo) is another seal (#N7) who gave birth on a beach near Turtle Bay. I kept my distance and zoomed as much as I could to get a close shot. The pup (little black log next to female) was sleeping while mom kept a close watch on me. A great experience and last I heard from a NOAA Volunteer was that she and the pup are doing fine. Click on links to watch videos Underwater video(2.2meg) Beach video (2.2meg)

Creature Feature Shrimp From the larger to the smaller we go. Yes we all love to see the big animals of the sea but often the intricate lives of the smallest critters can be a spectacular thing to watch. Tucked away in the cracks and holes of the reef, you can find any number of the 190 species of shrimp that inhabit our island waters, but you have to know where and when to find them. This video just shows some of the more common species I encounter on dives, a good portion of this video was shot during night dives at Shark's Cove. So get a good dive light and you will see that's when most of the species are out feeding. Click here Watch Video (4.3meg)

Dive Site of the month Shark's Cove Dive Site: Sharks Cove Depth: 10 - 60 feet (30ft average) Location: North Shore (Pupukea State Park) Season: Summer months only Visibility: 30 - 100ft Level: Beginner - Advanced Located on Oahu's famous North Shore, within Pupu'kea State Park/Marine Preserve, Shark's Cove is considered one of the top 10 shore dive spot in the world. Sharks Cove is not a haven for sharks, the name comes from the fact that it looks like a shark took a bite out of the land. Although as you can see, we occasionally do encounter them. These protected waters make for up-close encounters with endangered Green Sea Turtles along with an abundance of other reef life. The cove is even a beautiful area to snorkel, easy access and convenient facilities make this a great spot for all to enjoy, however only in the summer months. During the winter, the cove is pounded by the North Shore's famous big surf. Lava tubes and amazing swim-through caverns (See the movie clip) make for a spectacular dive. Shark's Cove is one of my most favorite dive sites on Oahu. I rate it a 10+. I also recommend that first timers go with an experienced guide. Some of the best features of the site are almost impossible to find on your own and can be extremely dangerous. For more information on guided tours of Shark's Cove, contact Surf N Sea's dive shop Click here Watch Video (3.5meg)

Past Videos Available Summertime Fun Once again, we are reaching out to those divers that may have passed on getting their video at the time. How about now?!?! This video is a bunch of snippets showing the fun we had on those dives, maybe you will see yourself so look closely. If you are interested in a past dive or video, just email me. New online order form comming soon!! To the Camp ScubaDrew "Rat Pack"...don't worry your video will be available soon, it's just a lot of dives to go through. Hope the rest of your summer is as fun as your time here. Click here Watch Video (3.6meg)

KEEP OUR OCEANS BLUE

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