Jump to content

crubie

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    46

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by crubie

  2. Posted

    Drew,

     

    Summary is spot on !... :)

     

    Having watched this, I am definitely going to suggest to Jim Abernethy to organise Helicopter Jump entries onto the Lemons/Tigers next time we go to Tiger Beach !... Or maybe from the micro-light ? :)

     

    Both programs got me so pissed off at the TV, my wife (who was in the next room) thought there was a new presidential debate on...

     

    On a more serious note :

     

    - I completely agree with your point concerning the scaring on the great whites and I wonder if and how staged the attack on the zodiac (GWA) actually was...

     

    -In addition. I have not been diving with Stuart Cove, but really wonder why he keeps being associated with these programs

  6. Posted

    Hi Chris,

     

    Wow - Nothing like taking your time to edit stuff ! Keep them coming

     

    I was lucky enough to go again this year. We saw more dolphins but didn't have a lot of tiger shark luck.

     

    Mark

     

    PS Laughed when I saw you in Batman !

     

     

    Hi Mark,

     

    Yes had some major computer issues...

     

    I finally have equipment that can handle the 13h of HD footage I had from the trip.

     

    Too bad I couldn't be there this year...

     

    Hoping to make the 2010 trip however.

     

    Looks like although the tiger Shark action seemed limited, the dolphin encounters seem to have been amazing this year...

     

    How many dives did you manage to log in this year ?

  8. Posted

    Thanks Chris!

    It's amazing to see how much bigger she has gotten in just a year. This is June 2009;

     

     

    594495857_P6KFD-L-1.jpg

     

     

    When I first looked I thought it couldn't be Emma she was so much bigger when we saw her in June. Then I looked again and saw the date.

    Thanks for sharing her with us.

     

    Cheers,

    Steve

     

     

    Steve,

     

    She is huge ! That's a great picture.

    She seems ready to give birth anytime...

    Was that taken at Tiger Beach ? It seems to be on a reef...

  9. Posted

    Following is a link to a video I filmed on the July 2008 JASA / Wetpixel Expedition

     

    http://gallery.me.com/chrisrubie#100213

     

    I enjoyed so much having regular updates on Emma over the last few months (seeing her become more and more pregnant), through everyone's pictures, that I thought we should dedicate a post to her.

     

    She keeps on giving us so much great photo opportunities...

     

    Following is a short description of my first encounter with her...

     

     

    I have edited together the most acceptable footage of Emma over these 2 exceptional days. The video is lengthy but the rawness of it should reflect quite well what diving with this amazing shark is like and hopefully it brings back memories to those who have been lucky enough to dive with her.

     

    You might notice how with Emma present, the Lemon sharks are paid very little attention to, except to push them out of the shot...

     

    On our second day at Tiger Beach we were lucky to have Emma pay us a visit. She spent the best of 2 days with us.

     

    She is huge !...14 ft.

     

    If a bond is at all possible between a Tiger Shark and a human, then Jim Abernethy and her definitely have something going...

     

    Unlike other tigers who tend to be rather weary of humans she comes in very close. It seems that she recognises Jim’s boat and probably Jim himself.

     

    On the first day, before we start the shark dives. Jim gives a very extensive briefing on the various species of sharks, their typical behaviours ect. Safety of the divers & the Sharks is a priority at all times.

    A full section is dedicated to tiger sharks, and a number of them are introduced by name. Emma is probably the most famous of them all and is classified as one of few “Supermodels”.

     

    Nothing however prepared me to the life changing effect she would have on my perception of Tigers.

     

    All geared up, my camera in one hand, the pvc stick in the other I prepare to enter the crystal clear water...

     

    I can see her, 15 ft below, circling Jim and the divers brave enough to have gone in first...

    (right... I needed to double check my equipment for one final 6th time...can you blame me ?)

     

    Heart racing I slide into the water as delicately as possible and drop immediately to the bottom (some will remember it didn’t go so well on the second dive...)

     

    She immediately heads straight for me to check me out... My heart stops... This trip was a bad idea after all... I should have listened to my wife...

     

    But wait... Although still extremely alert, keeping an eye on Emma at all times (as instructed), ...after the initial alarm, a strange sense of calmness settles in.

    She is not out to eat us after all.

     

    She comes in close repeatedly but never shows any aggressiveness. She even slides in between divers in spaces that seem way too small for her to fit through.

     

    She comes at us head on, from above, right side, left side, circles once, twice...

     

    We are definitely all in awe... A bunch of paparazzi who can't get enough...

     

    She is definitely a Supermodel.

     

    Our reaction back on the boat ?...

     

    The last few minutes of footage speak for themselves I think...

     

    Based on the latest reports Emma is currently pregnant. Lets hope she has many healthy pups and that we see them at Tiger Beach in a few years from now.

  13. Posted

    Having missed this year's Expedition, I thought I would post a few videos from the 2008 Shark & Dolphins Expedition.

     

    Will be posting videos regularly on the following link. Videos are at various stages of Editing (some raw footage, some fully edited) and the site is still under partial construction.

     

    All constructive critiscism and comments are very welcome.

     

    http://web.me.com/chrisrubie

     

     

    Enjoy...

  15. Posted

    April/May is Whale Shark season at Gladden Spit of the coast of Placencia, Belize.

     

    Went on this trip 2 years ago :

     

    Placencia is a great laid back little town (not your typical Belize tourist destination).

    The diving was amazing, although Whale Shark dives are Blue dives...There are a number a good reef dives available too.

     

    Whale Shark encounters are close to garanteed, in addition to chances of dolphins, bull sharks...

    Access to the Gladden Spit Marine preserve is limited in order to not disrupt the Whale Sharks too much who come to feed during Snapper Spawning season. So a full day trip to the preserve may result in waiting on the reef for 1hr of diving in the morning and 1hr in the afternoon.

    But it is well worth it.

     

    I stayed at the Beautiful Turtle Inn (Francis ford Coppola's resort), pricey but great place.

     

    Maldives is always a good bet too.

     

    April/May is a good season for Mantas and Whale Sharks I beleive.

    There are good Liveaboards to choose from, alternatively the Veligandu island resort is a good place with proximity to a great Schooling Hammerheads Shark dive, and a good house reef only a short swin away.

     

    Let me know if you need more details on any of these.

  17. Posted

    After thinking my pics weren't that good (I wanted an artistic shot of the striated frogfish threesome rising in the water column) but the pics I got might even be better. You can clearly see female striated frogfish releasing raft and smaller, lighter patterened striated male frogfish opening vent & releasing sperm, mixing with hers. Again I want all facts confirmed so it will be a few days till I get feedback. I can only suppose that the black striated frogfish other male was positioned on the wrong side of the female or was just too slow?

     

    Lots more later, including blow by blow observations of this very rarely witnessed event! Best Carol

    PS I'm exhausted, there was a lot of excitement with that dive and all the commotion-having trouble sleeping!!!

     

    Looking forward to seeing the pictures !

  18. Posted

    The shark, Emma, is *very* pregnant!

     

    Great to see pictures of Emma so regularly and to be able to see her belly get bigger week after week...

     

    Was on the jul 08 shark & Dolphin trip (with Alex) and a day rarely goes by without me thinking about this great experience.

    Can't wait to go back.

     

    In fact Emma has become quite a star with my friends !

    Even with my japanese in laws' family, who at a recent wedding in Japan served Shark fin Soup... Yes you read that right...

    That was the occasion for a good and tactful (as much as could muster) lecture on my behalf the following day.

     

    My videos of Emma among others definitely helped get the the message through.

     

    Sad to see that the lack of shark conservation support in Japan is due mainly to ignorance as most Japanese I have found are overall very nature and preservation oriented...Most people there have no idea of the situation.

     

    Anyway this could be the subject of a seperate thread I guess...

     

    As usual Eric - great pictures

     

    Hope next time I go out with Jim he brings the Ultralight / boat !

  21. Posted

    Hi everyone,

     

    Just wanted to say a quick word of thanks to Wetpixel and all at JASA for this amazing week.

    Back in the office and finding it hard to readapt.

     

    Greatly enjoying all the pictures and Alex's extensive report.

     

    There is no doubt Jim and his team have been the most professional, welcoming and enthusiastic group I have ever been diving with.

     

    I am currently importing all 13h of video to my computer and will be posting edited videos soon.

     

    Should have a first taste up tonight for all to view and download.

     

    Look forward to diving with some of you again soon.

     

    Chris Rubie

×
×
  • Create New...