Underwater Digital Stills or Video?

If You Could Choose Only One....

Underwater video, in many ways, is easier and more expressive than underwater digital stills photography. Video cameras function in lower light than film cameras and you can expect some decent video on your very first dive. You can check out your video as soon as you leave the water to make sure that you got what you were after. Digital stills will record that perfect image if you get lucky but video is better suited to record marine life. Videos also appeals more to the average person who would probably like watching your video footage more than flipping through photographs.

Which Camcorder to Use?

If you have a camcorder it's very tempting to find a housing for it. This isn't always the best idea since there are some very good match-ups of camcorder and housing, as well as some bad ones. There are so many camcorder models already and the manufacturers are introducing new models every few months. That can make it hard for housing manufacturers to keep up with all of the latest models. It can be very difficult to find a housing for Panasonic, JVC and Canon but the inventor of flexible high grade housings - Ewa-Marine, does an excellent job and can generally fit almost any model to a well-made housing that still performs like one costing over $1K or more.

The Canon XM1 Digital Camcorder that my fishing and snorkeling buddy purchased was used in the Ewa-Marine VXM waterproof camcorder case. It functioned, as promised and did an excellent job of shooting high quality video inside the housing, above and below the water. This was an inexpensive solution for getting his video camera in the water and still left enough cash to actually pay for a lot of extras that would have been impossible to purchase with one of the larger hard cases. It is also very durable and well made for a flexible housing. The video he has shot is excellent in every way and compares favorably when stacked up next to the large "high end" housings. Everyone has been going wild for digital stills cameras over the past 2 years but the video footage he gets with his camcorder/housing combination is much more enjoyable to watch than looking at the digital stills shots taken with his compact digital camera setup - and shot by an amateur too. If you're a casual snorkeler/diver and only shoot underwater video on vacations or a limited basis, then an Ewa-Marine video housing might be worth looking into!

Anyone Care To Swim?

Survival Times Expanded

I usually post about useful tips for a day at the beach, on the boat or out riding the surf. One of my favorites is posting on underwater photography or which underwater camcorder housing to select for best results. The past two days went a little bit differently. I was doing some research on survival at sea and ran into this "nugget" of info with links to much more informational articles on surviving an immersion at sea and what to expect. Pretty grim stuff!

The prediction of survival time (ST) of individuals stranded at sea is particularly difficult since reliable controlled data are unavailable. An individual's rate of body cooling is governed by the difference between heat loss and heat production. It has been suggested that the rate of deep body cooling can be extrapolated to estimate ST. The observed linearity of this cooling rate against water temperature is consistent with the predictions of an independently-developed mathematical model of ST. This model has been extended to simulate conditions of partial immersion and wet clothing, and subsequently calibrated against observed human cooling rates. The resultant modification allows a much broader range of ST predictions involving calm and rough seas, and non-immersion wet conditions. Predictions are presented for lean vs. fat individuals, a "worst" case scenario where shivering is absent, and partial immersion. While these predictions must be considered speculative and subject to change as better information becomes available, the model can be useful as a decision aid. It would be prudent, however, to consider the predictions in a relative vs. absolute sense; i.e., for comparative purposes.

You can refresh your memories on how fragile you are compared to the sea and what you can or can't do to improve your chances of survival if someday (never, we hope) you find yourself bobbing up and down in the ocean. I recommend this site and it's links for more information - be sure to click the related articles link!

Boating Disaster Waiting to Happen?

Keep Your Decks Clear - Stow Your Gear

I haven't mentioned that for 8 years, I held a USCG passenger boat for hire, good in all inland waterways of the USA. I have lived at waterfront most of my life and my earliest memories were of my many lone fishing expeditions in a little 14' rowboat complete with a 5hp engine. After many years of fishing and catching numerous lunker bass, pike, walleye etc. I was finally informed that I could now take the boat to fish whenever I wanted - ALONE - on fishing trips which lasted from dawn until lunch and about 2 pm until dark. I was in heaven I thought, doing what I loved most, whenever I wanted, and w/o parental supervision. I earned that 1st "License to Operate" a fishing boat from my Dad at about 10 or 11 yrs old. I caught more and bigger fish back then and fed the family as regularly as they could bear to eat fish and more fish and ....

I moved on with my life but have never lost the taste to get my line wet. I still carry a small two piece Browning ultra light (cut down a few inches and retied to my tastes) with a high end Shakespeare reel and 4 lb test line, a telescopic landing net and a mini tackle box stuffed full of my most killer artificials in a broad spectrum to suit panfish up to 115 lb Northern Pike and anything in between. You name it and I've managed to fit it in that little box! If I see an old farmhouse with a nice size pond, I'll likely pull in and ask the owner if I can have permission to fish there occasionally. Most are very nice and offer a wide open invite. I have many of these "honey holes" in my back pocket as well as many other "known" spots that I'll check out when the fish are on the move in that area.

I guess I've digressed a bit. I wanted to post about the very dangerous and costly situations that can occur while out on a boat fishing or just cruising around and how a little simple housekeeping can stop about 75% of injuries that I've seen in my many yrs of fishing and taking parties of fishermen out on paid fishing trips as a Captain/Guide. The deck on any size boat is not very large as compared to walking around the house (for most of us anyway) and the deck is not only small but it's always rocking and moving. Coolers tend to slide around while under power or while drifting in a stiff breeze and chop. These have to be heavy enough not to move or fixed to a bulkhead so that they don't become snares when fishermen start to rummage about - baiting hooks, getting drinks and sandwiches. Tie those down with bungee cord as mentioned but keep the deck clear, you'll save some painful falls.

I have watched glasses, sunglasses, cell phones, marine radios, cameras, and more all broken by a small set of waves rocking the boat a good wallop, or slowly working their way, ever so slowly, down to the corners of the dashboard and in the hub-bub of landing fish and others milling around to find another spot to cast from, or help land the fish - you guessed it - smash and someone's glasses are pancaked, camera is broken or more. I've also watched these same items and many more - dropped in the lake "ker-sploosh", while the owner agonizes as his new handheld GPS sinks 50' to the bottom. Or, the guy who's neck strap on his binoculars wasn't affixed properly - "SPLASHH", as the lake takes her daily share of loot from the unwary and green. Then there's the guys who each bring 2 - 3 rod/reel outfits per man (we carry extras - only one is optimal) and spread them all over the boat, being sure that there are two "legal limit" poles in the water per fisherman at all times. Since rods/reels should be stowed in side rails provided for them or even stowed below, someone ends up walking or losing his balance while rocking back and forth and puts his foot through his buddy's new custom made rod and crushing it into campfire kindling, not to mention the "mighty casts" that result in the fisherman throwing his new rig 20' through the air, into the water and watching it bob for a split second or two and then disappear.

Safety items (not only - but especially safety items) should be kept in order at all times and checked every week or so. First aid kits, signaling devices, radio beacon, matches, lighter, mini marine radio, flare gun or kit and more, should definitely be stored in a 100% waterproof all purpose pouch. Your life may depend on the contents. I always keep a couple of different size waterproof bags below and keep these essentials in "brand new" condition. You can accidentally break a rod or drop a pair of nice glasses in the drink and still have a pretty good day, but find yourself in a serious situation and you'll want any first aid or survival gear kept intact and dry. Remember good housekeeping on your boat or boating trip, will make it a lot safer and more enjoyable for everyone!

Underwater Digital Photography

Capture Memories of a Lifetime!

In the past, on dives, I've tried using disposable film cameras and was always dissatisfied with the results after they were developed. While snorkeling, I'd see the most beautiful fish sporting every color under the sun but when I looked at my pictures, they were washed out, faded and just plain "BAD".

I took a chance this last trip and put my Canon S45 in one of those digital camera waterproof cases made by ewa-marine. I did this with much trepidation but enticed by an affordable $94 for the housing (not nearly as chintzy as expected either), this compact digital camera takes excellent pictures in or out of the water. This camera and housing combination can be submerged in water of up to 10 meters and take pictures all day long. My camera was laid on the beach, in the boat and then simply rinsed off, dried and carefully stored until next time. I am a real worry wart about getting water/sand in the camera, but the ewa-marine housing kept it high and dry - kudos!

The LCD screen on the camera was easy to view in and out of the water, while the sound from the camera is clearly audible underwater, as are your breathing and air bubbles if shooting video (the Canon S45 has video capability).

As you'll soon see, the image quality is very good considering that you're shooting with a compact digital camera - with small lens and onboard flash. I run most of my images through a post processing program as many are a bit too green and bland out of the memory card. To bring out the true contrast and color a quick "Auto Fix" in Adobe PhotoShop or maybe Paint Shop Pro always does the trick.

You don't have to spend thousands on a "hard housing" to enjoy vacation photos near or in the water. Check out an ewa-marine flexible housing - they really do work!

Boogie Boarding For Everyone!

Take The Ride!

Surfing, Wakeboarding, Body Boarding, Boogie Boarding - wow that's a lot of variations of riding the sea. If you've never been to Hawaii or if you're a veteran of many visits, then boarding of some kind should be on your list. There's something you feel when riding a wave that is indescribable. You can feel the energy and the power of the ocean speeding you to shore. Now I'm not saying to go out and drop a ton of money on surf riding equipment but I am saying to do your homework and find out what the surf conditions are where or nearby where you'll be staying. If you're already into boarding you'll probably have done that in advance and may have planned your trip for that express purpose. I'm sure if you're a newbie like myself you can take advantage of local rentals for having a go at the beautiful surf that surrounds the Islands. I started out just body surfing and caught thousands of great rides using nothing but my rigid body as my board. I recall the adrenaline rush of being scooped up and paddling like the dickens to catch waves that were much too large for a pre-teen to tackle. I didn't need a wizened surf guru to tell me or even Mom and Dad. The ocean taught me all by itself as I was crushed, pummeled into sharp rocks, and kept under by the undertow of the next wave in a long set. I thought I'd die many times and finally retired my excursions to days when the surf was softer and light with a nice long gentle break. This is for when I grow up a little more I surmised, or maybe when I could carry a surfboard and lay on it for protection! That was many years ago.

Now I know that the purists all have opinions - some differ - about body boards and boogie boards. Seems like in ancient times a body board was a huge board for laying on and riding prone. I'm talking about the Boogie Boards you can pick up at a local Discount House for $13.95 and up. I love them, my wife loves them and my kids have all loved them. They are just right for the boarder who doesn't want to heft the larger boards and allows for prone riding like us rubes do - all the way up to Professional Boarders who compete in big surf and dangerous spots like the Pipeline when it's cranking in the winter on the North Shore. The things these Pro's can do on a short board is nothing short of spectacular! It reminds me of a mixture of freestyle snowboarding but on a board ripping across the waves. Tricks - you name it they do it! Awesome and exciting but it loses a little of the mystique of the image we've all seen painted or photographed of the lone surfer, head slightly down and walking with his board along the shore. Traditional surfing still draws me but I have become a bit too brittle to carry boards and wipe out all day long. I much prefer a fun afternoon in low surf at say Waikiki Beach with my inexpensive little boogie board and a pair of swim fins to assist these old legs - boy they sure help!

I have taken some nice stills of the family last time we went to the Islands but this year I want some video and am going to risk taking my Sony HD FX1 video camcorder into the water in a waterproof camcorder housing for Sony. I can't wait to play around with it in Hawaii. It takes great video out of the water while in the enclosure so barring something catastrophic, it should work well for my intended use. Maybe I can load some video on this blog - that will take a little research but we'll see. Be well and don't forget the sunblock - a light beach shirt or cap if needed - a bad sunburn will ruin a vacation and we can't have that!