Shark Trouble
by Peter Benchley

Master storyteller Peter Benchley combines high adventure with practical information in Shark Trouble, a book that is at once a thriller and a valuable guide to being safe in, on, under, and around the sea. The bestselling author of Jaws, The Deep, and other works draws on more than three decades of experience to share information about sharks and other marine animals.

"Shark attacks on human beings generate a tremendous amount of media coverage" Benchley writes, "partly because they occur so rarely, but mostly, I think, because people are, and always have been, simultaneously intrigued and terrified by sharks. Sharks come from a wing of the dark castle where our nightmares live - deep water beyond our sight and understanding - and so they stimulate our fears and fantasies and imaginations."

Benchley describes the many types of sharks (including the ones that pose a genuine threat to man), what is and isn't known about shark behavior, the odds against an attack and how to reduce them even further - all reinforced with the lessons he has learned, the mistakes he has made, and the personal perils he has encountered while producing television documentaries, bestselling novels, and articles about the sea and its inhabitants. He tells how to swim safely in the ocean, how to read the tides and currents, what behavior to avoid, and how to survive when danger suddenly strikes. He discusses how to tell children about sharks and the sea and how to develop, in young and old alike, a healthy respect for the ocean.

As Benchley says, "The ocean is the only alien and potentially hostile environment on the planet into which we tend to venture without thinking about the animals that live there, how they behave, how they support themselves, and how they perceive us. I know of no one who would set off into the jungles of Malaysia armed only with a bathing suit, a tube of suntan cream, and a book, and yet that's precisely how we approach the oceans.

"No longer. Not after you've read Shark Trouble.

Aku “hmm bisa gak ya…mau siih ..yang dekat Sangyang itu yaa…..?”

Buddy “iya..”

Aku “deketan mana sama Postponed Island ?

Buddy “walaaah Pulau Tunda itu ya sama dengan Postponed island..   :-D”

Aku *mikir sejenak*…(malu dikit) …”waah…iya yaah Posponed kalo di terjemahin kan jadi Tunda (ditunda/menunda)…hahaha”

Curi-curi waktu setelah hampir 8 bulan tidak menyelam, here I come…nangkring di Tempat Peristirahatan km 68 Tol Jakarta – Merak tepat jam 7 pagi  menunggu rombongan lain peserta Dive Trip Postponed Island yang dikoordinir  oleh Planet Diving, Sahid Jakarta.

Wah senangnya lihat muka-muka laut…(hmm maksudnya…para sesama diver)…lihat tangki O2 .. and my lovely Oceanic islander yang nyaris mewek garing di gantung di kamar 

Setelah berkumpul dan menyelesaikan urusan administrasi, perjalanan pun di teruskan. Lepas dari tol exit Bojonegara..tidak berapa lama tampak laut di sisi jalan..ahhh laut..laut..laut … akhirnya aku menyongsong laut lagi. Dari Pelabuhan Karang Hantu, rombongan kami yang terdiri dari 20 orang siap menuju Pulau Tunda alias Postponed Island. Dengan menggunakan 2 kapal kayu berukuran sedang,  perjalanan pun dimulai. It was sunny…ombak lautnya juga flat bikin mataku merem melek terbuai alunan kapal.. Ternyata setelah celingukan lama, baru tahu kalau lamanya perjalanan ke pulau adalah 2 jam!!…waah mirip Jakarta-Bandung dong niih…daripada bosan aku pilih tiduran…nyatanya aku malah ketiduran beneran..

2 jam lewat berlalu akhirnya sampai juga, sepertinya sih pulau ini masih jarang diselami oleh para pencinta dunia bawah air. Padahal sekilas saja aku tengok ke bawah..hmm visibilitynya tampak menggiurkan..alias masih bagus banget…biru dan jernih

Begitu jangkar dilepas, segera ganti kostum dengan wetsuit, pasang BCD ke tangki, cek tekanan udara..hmm tangkinya gak ada O ringnya..baiklah..cari tangki yang lain…200 bar yup ..beres…jangan lupa olesi odol dimasker..campurkan dengan pelapis natural alias saliva..cuih….bilas .. pakai booties dan si kuning V6 hadiah ultah dari teman-teman diving ku….then clear?….back Roll…!! Buddy are u ready go down ?….yup inlate the BC….quick equalizing….asyyiikk…aku menyelam lagi….hulooow fishy..how are you there…

Dive pertamaku di Pulau Tunda  dan pernikahan Nudibranch J

 

Sekitar 10.32 WIB Gelembung oksigenku yang pertama di perairan Pulau Tunda terhirup di area ujung timur pulau…entah nama dive sitenya apa aku tak peduli .. that was good visibility there ..clear enough…arus tenang mendorong sehingga tidak repot harus 'kicking dan paddling' banyak…konturnya slope..lebih bagus main tidak lebih dari 15m karena justru lebih dalam dari itu pemandangannya hanya pasir  …ada kura-kura, yellow tail fish, Parrot Fish, sedikit Anemone Fish, lobster, Blue Spot Stingray, dan lain-lain..tampak satu dua Kima.. Moray Eel berukuran sedang juga seekor dua ekor muncul dari lubang persembunyian…but the most stunning moment I’ve ever had adalah peristiwa “Mating Nudi”

Awalnya buddy ku yang heboh menunjuk-nunjuk Nudibranch yang sedang merayap di atas karang. Jenisnya belum pernah kami lihat sama sekali..Jenis Nudi warna Pink dengan ujung terpisah dua tapi tidak berjambul..nyatanya Nudi itu tidak sekedar merayap tapi juga mendekati Nudi lain yang berlainan corak…yup rupanya mereka sedang saling ‘pedekate’..mungkin walau berlainan suku karena merasa cocok satu sama lain akhirnya mereka saling memilin mesra…hhaahaha..they are mating…!…

Duuh nyesel banget deeeh gak punya underwater camera…sueerr..instruktur ku bilang tidak percaya kalau tidak ada bukti…

Aah biar saja..yang penting kenangan itu ada dalam memory ku hehehe..*mencoba menghibur diri*

 

Pulau Tunda ..aku kan kembali

 

Saat turun di sisi selatan pada dive ke dua…awalnya visibility tidak sebagus yang pertama..walau masih dari kisaran taraf yang amna, aku serasa sedikit melayang nyaman karena arus. Yang cukup menyenangkan walau agak sedikit bikin hatiku was-was sempat bertemu segerobombolan ikan barracuda…waks untung mereka acuh tak acuh dengan kehadiranku di habitat mereka itu.

Belakangan baru tahu kalau “schooling of baracudas’ itu tidak berbahaya..yang patut diwaspadai justru kalau ketemunya hanya seekor, karena bisa saja itu tandanya ikan sedang kelaparan mencari mangsa atau sedang mencari pasangan..hmm tahu sendiri dong semua mahluk hidup kalau sedang dalam keadaan ‘itu’ emosinya sering tak terkendali pun seekor ikan..hehehehe fakta lain juga bilang Baracuda sangat tertarik dengan benda yang berkilau..hihihi pecinta bling-bling.

Mulai pertengahan perjalanan, air mulai terasa dingin, mungkin karena sudah agak menjelang sore..tetapi visibility makin membaik..dan tampak ‘table coral’ bertaburan,..karang-karang besar dengan bentuk yang aneh-aneh dan wow ..mendadak aku berada ditengah gerobombolan ikan-ikan…aku menyelam bersama mereka…hehehe menyenangkan sekali rasanya….

 

 

Dive terakhirku di Pulau Tunda di akhiri di sisi Timur lagi…tidak lama karena harus mengejar jam kepulangan sebelum matahari terbenam…masih dengan visibility yang bagus…tetap banyak gerombolan ikan dimana-mana, nudibranch berukuran sedang bertaburan diantara karang-karang, lagi-lagi Moray eel …dan seekor cleaner fish sibuk mendekati aku dan buddy ku sebelum kembali ke kapal..hahaha tahu saja kalau tadi pagi ada yang tidak mandi..  Pulau Tunda memang menyenangkan untuk menunda rasa penat...pasti aku kembali lagi...

 

Sabtu, 8 April 2007

Dive Operator : Planet Diving, Sahid Jakarta

Buddies satu perahu : Herry Widj,  Jerry, Steven, Siska, Om Eddy, Andri, Apaw

 

 

 

 

That was my first time to involve in “ a voluntary stuff action”..especially voluntary activity related to Diving  J

…Why I do really want to do this..well..simply thing I guess..

 As we know, divers have been involved in underwater clean-up and protection efforts for decade. Litter and rubbish are not just a surface problem, they also accumulate on the seabed. In addition, they also cause a real danger to both marine life and divers too. Rubbish and litter are mostly consequences of everyone’s actions. Most of us don’t realize the impact of their action during the recreational activities and where the things go

Well I think this is a time for me to prove (for my self off course J…) that I’m not just a fun and recreational diver only…During become a diver for a year, sea and underwater life have given their “gift” to me much more than words can be written J .. so I’ll give my reward back by answering the calling to take action and raising awareness …sound too idealistic ??..hehehehe…I don’t know…may be I just get the bold line of this words.. “start to do a little thing to make a big thing…. then, together we can make a difference …”  J J J J

After a brief search on the internet about what “CLEAN UP DIVE” is, here are some tips  I have quoted from website if you (who call him/herself a diver) have the opportunity to participate in an underwater clean up dive and my comment about what i've experienced at my 1^st Underwater Clean Up Project at Sepa Island  J

DIVE RIGHT

Remember your dive skills. Whether you are pleasure diving, working or taking part in a reef cleanup, your dive skills can mean life or death to many of the animals in the watery world you will be visiting.

• Begin your dive neutrally buoyant: garbage will weigh you down so adjust buoyancy as you go.
• Secure all your gauges and keep a streamline profile.
• Make sure you always know where your fins are and what they are doing.
• Avoid any unnecessary contact with the bottom by collecting in a head-down position.
• Make sure you don’t stir up sand

My comment  : off course we both, my dive buddy and i,  have good bouyancy J 

 SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS , such as

• Be aware of the tides
• Sturdy footwear
• Don’t forget the sun block or weather clothing
• Have list of the participants that are first aid/CPR trained
• Do a headcount at beginning and end of cleanup

My comment  : remember…safety is first ! 

GEAR UP FOR CLEAN UP

Addition to your normal dive gear each buddy pair will need one glove, one mesh sack, and one pair of shears or a knife for cutting fishing line. One buddy should collect while the other holds the bag.

To prevent accidental injury, wear a glove on the hand you use to collect or stow garbage in the bag. Use a mesh sack to prevent drag. In in Doubt, leave it

• Leave anything that is 'stuck' or encrusted as well as cloth, canvas or large sheets of plastic.
• Leave anything too large to lift easily, such as tires, engine blocks or batteries.
• Check with the Marine Park before removing any questionable items.

Check it before you bag it

Examine items before you bag them. It will be too late for the unfortunate animal who has made that piece of junk his home if you don't check until you surface.

• Make sure nothing is living ON or IN each item before you bag it.
• Holding cups, bottles, etc. close to the bottom,  shake out sand and silt gently.
• If an encrusted bottle or can has a clear opening, something's probably living in there. Leave it.

My comment  : My buddy and i  forgot to bring gloves..and neither of us brought knife too….(scratching my hair..) ok buddy, we’ll do the right thing in the next project

LINE NEEDS TO BE CUT

Don't try to pull up fishing line. It quickly becomes incorporated into the reef so you will only hurt the delicate bottom living animals who have grown over and around the line. Line needs to be cut off and removed in sections. Where it has been overgrown simply leave it. If a long length of line is not entangled, coil it as you collect it, taking care not to get entangled yourself as you go.

My comment  : we found many fishing line down there…many of them made us frustrate cause it has very very long line .. since we both didn’t have any knife with us…sometimes we had to trace back carefully the line before we put it in the bag…mostly we had to leave it down with despair L

IF YOU CAN’T BAG IT, BUOY IT

Never attempt to take anything out of the water that requires two hands or will not fit easily in your bag. Never consider using your BC to provide the inflation needed to lift a heavy object. If you find something underwater which is too big or heavy for you (tires, batteries, engine blocks etc.)

My comment  : Did we have a dare to take that big heavy giant wood to the surface ??…. In a second we found that object…we made hand signal ..pointed to each other ..and the answer ..…NOPE, passed it….J  the same thing happened when finding a big tire too .. L

ONE DIVE, ONE BAG

Fill only one bag with garbage during the course of a dive. If you don't completely fill a bag with garbage on one dive don't worry about that either. Whether you're out reef diving or on a clean up — relax, look around and take things easy.

On land none of us have difficulty correctly identifying garbage. Trash is trash! Once we get into the water however things start to get a bit more complicated. Garbage isn't trash when it has been in the water long enough to become home to marine animals. This may mean Garbage isn’t always trash.  that it has been encrusted by sponges or corals (yes, these are animals!) or it may mean that it has been adopted as a home by fish or an octopus. So, some items, even though they may look unsightly to us should not be removed from the water. In time, they will become a part of the living reef.

Some good examples are:

• tires covered by sponges or coral and are homes to fish
• old jars adopted by octopus as their lairs
• bottles used as fish homes, pipes used as eel dens

This is why it is so important that you remove only recently submerged garbage.

My comment  : in first minute we searched underwater, we found our first treasure, a soft  drink can…good start !!…then we moved forward along the reef …but after 15 minutes we searched, we found nothing. In addition we realized that we’ve lost our first treasure too....hahaha…Ok trash where are you ??…turned back our direction to our first start point suddenly we could see the trash every where… fishing line, cotton, jar, bottle, plastic, cable .. J huray…! Hey captain can we have another bigger bag ?

AT THE END OF THE DAY :

• Ensure rubbish is collected or taken away and that the site is cleaner than when you arrived.
• Measure area of beach/site cleaned (information needed to complete the summary sheet.)
• Collect rubbish survey information.
• Weigh the rubbish and complete the summary sheet. (or a good estimate of the weight is also valuable).
• Take group photo with rubbish collected
• Hand out Project AWARE Certificates of Recognition to all involved. Make it a celebration!

 My comment  : finally, I got my first underwater clean up dive certificate

 source : www.projectaware.org; www.dive-friends-bonaire.com