Travel Journal » Luca Diana Photography Blog

Bahamas: Diving with Sharks

Nov 292011

Blue is a recurrent
color in my photography, a color I have always felt drawn to, therefore it’s no wonder that I feel a special connection with the ocean. In the past years this has developed into a passion for scuba diving, pushing me to dive in different locations and achieve various certifications, the latest of which being the PADI Rescue Diver. Add to that a loved for big animals and this is how this story began…

“You’re underwater and you see the thing that you were taught your whole life to fear and it doesn’t want to hurt you and it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.” These words pronounced by filmmaker Rob Stewart remained impressed in me ever since watching his documentary Sharkwater and I became somewhat of a shark advocate. Then, after reading in the pages of a diving magazine about the opportunity to dive with sharks in the waters of the Bahamas I remember feeling very excited at the idea and started looking for an opportunity to do it. Two weeks ago the opportunity presented itself under the form of an email from Royal Caribbean with some cruise specials I couldn’t pass on. After (re)packing my scuba gear and a few clothes I was off to a 4-night cruise to Nassau, Coco Cay and Key West.

A couple of times I closed my eyes and saw myself entering the water with sharks swimming all around. It didn’t quite happen that way. I glanced over the surface of the ocean near the boat and not seeing any I thought “maybe the sharks are not here yet, or maybe there aren’t that many” so I took my long stride forward and splashed into the sky-blue waters of the Atlantic. My mask on, I looked down and indeed, there were sharks everywhere. I grinned and waited for our guide to give us the signal to submerge.

We descended to about 40 feet to a sandy floor, the visibility was excellent: sharks everywhere, we stopped counting after 40. They averaged 8 to 12 feet long and 400 to 500 pounds, most of them female, which are bigger than males. We soon realized that we were not part of the food chain and relaxed, getting more and more comfortable with their presence. In fact, watching them swim so effortlessly, more like sliding or gliding, instilled in me a sense of peace. There have been a few times in my life when I have felt at peace with nature, and this was one of them (one day I’ll write about the other times). As if the sharks were just a background to an idyllic scene, we slowly swam down to 70 feet toward the edge of the wall, a place that drops to a depth of 6,500 feet and encountered many other types of marine life: from very large and curious groupers to the biggest eel I’ve ever seen (more like the size of a boa), sea turtle and the ever present lion fish (a beautiful but invasive species that now calls the Caribbean home).
We slowly ascended back to the boat with our air tanks just out of the red zone (some days I really wish I was a fish… or a shark, rather) and got briefed about our second dive: shark feeding.

“Keep you hands tucked in” was the most important warning. When feeding, sharks protect their eyes with a membrane and become therefore blind. Flailing our hands about could confuse them and make them think our hands are bait. “Sharks will be very close to you, inches away. If you are uncomfortable with that distance shake your head and we will move the bait box away.” Turns out that inches away was a bit of an understatement when I got gently slapped in the face by a 10 foot specimen, but none of us shook our heads.

Shark Diving in Bahamas

With us spectators sitting in a circle, the feeding began. We were told on a typical day you’d expect about a dozen sharks, today we had nearly 50 around us. When the first bait came up rush hours started with sharks of all sizes (all large sizes) throwing themselves at it, trying to get the bite. The lucky one grabbed the bait stick and didn’t release it, taking it for a stroll before finally dropping it after several minutes. The feeding continued with sharks speeding all around us, trying to take the quickest way to the bait, which often meant bumping us in their quest to get the succulent fish. The most audacious ones even trying to get their noses and mouth inside the bait box while the feeder pushed them away. Between feeding sessions the feeder would grab a shark and rub her hand above the mouth of the animal while this would quietly stay in place enjoying the rub, not unlike a house kitten… a 500 pounds house kitten.

We returned to the boat with very little air left, trying to squeeze as much as possible out of this experience, but with a renewed respect for these beautiful and perfect creatures. This turned out to be one of my most enjoyable dives and not just for the sharks and the other marine life, the blue here has something special.

————————————————————————————————————–

Where: New Providence, Bahamas. Stuart Cove’s diving company

How to get there: Major airlines fly to Nassau from many US Cities. Many cruises stop in Nassau for a full day. Stuart Cove will pick you up at your hotel or at the port.

When: Year round, but in the winter months for comfort I recommend wearing a 5mm wetsuit, the water of Bahamas is not always warm.

What to bring: Diver certification card (only certified divers can participate in the shark diving /feeding program); a good level of comfort underwater and around wildlife; underwater camera with a wide angle lens (better if a fisheye), if not, a GoPro2 video camera is a great and much cheaper alternative, for $299 you can take HD 1080p video and 11MP photos up to 10 fps.

What can we do to help sharks?
The most important thing we can do is becoming aware of their importance in the oceans and the risk they face. Here are some useful links:

Sharkwater

Sharkwater’s Facebook Page

Sharks Research Institute

Turkey: Kuşadası & Ephesus

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Nov 072011

Coming soon: The ruins of Ephesus

Crete: The Smiley Town of Chania

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Nov 042011

Coming soon: Crete and the Venetian Harbor

Navigator of the Seas

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Oct 262011

Chili Peppers at the market in Campo de' Fiori

“There’s too much food on this ship” – I couldn’t believe I just said that, talking to a couple in the elevator. Well, the problem is not that there’s too much food, but rather that there’s too much good food and it’s all free and available 24 hours a day. But let’s roll back to a few days earlier…

Navigator of the Sea: the name, although inspiring, means little to anyone who hasn’t been on a cruise and meant little to me up to the moment I boarded this 1,120 foot long ship. My friend was on his sixth Royal Caribbean cruise, this was my first ever. My elevator arrived on deck 5, the Promenade deck and I couldn’t contain a “wow.” One thing is seeing a cruise ship promenade on photos, another to experience it with one’s own eyes. I can consider myself well traveled: two weeks ago I was in Tokyo, Guam and on my way to Palau, Micronesia. Next week I might be in Hong Kong, Stockholm or who knows where (I, unexpectedly, ended up in Paris), but I still looked around with a sense of wonder at this architectural prowess. Only four days later the Promenade has become almost like a home, still an amazing place, yet much more familiar. A little bit like Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. to the cast member (that’s how Disney calls its employees, a title I carried for five years) who has worked there for years. I’ll cross the Promenade waving to a new friend, stopping to engage in conversation with another one on my way to the gym, the running track, the climbing wall, the Schooner piano bar or just wander around to see what’s going on.

: Trevi’s Fountain at night

The arrival to Civitavecchia harbor was uneventful, a short train ride on one of the new Eurostar from Rome’s main station Termini. The four days preceding the cruise were just the opposite. My friend and his family had rented an apartment in one of Rome’s loveliest square, Campo de’ Fiori. This proved to be an excellent choice, not just because this came to be cheaper than getting a hotel room but also because the location was hard to beat. Situated in the heart of Rome, a five minutes’ walk from Piazza Navona and ten to fifteen minutes from the Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna, The Vittoriano, Trastevere and its charming restaurants and so much more. The fully furnished and cozy apartment offered a lot in terms of convenience and comfort, therefore our days in Rome, with myself playing tour guide to my American friends, were a non-stopping succession of events which included, of course, tours of monuments and sampling of the local cuisine, with several visits to my favorite artisanal ice cream shop “Gelato per Passione” owned and managed by the lovely Sonia (the Nutella gelato is to die for). We even managed to squeeze a trip to the Medieval town of San Gimignano.

Neptune in Piazza Navona

Rome being what it is, the photographic opportunities abounded. The challenge remained finding that original angle to give our photographs a touch of originality to distinguishes them from photos taken by millions of other tourists every year. One can find originality in a fisheye shot taken from the Gianicolo, the famous hill in Trastevere or in a long exposure at night of Trevi’s Fountain. It’s certainly fun to walk the old city, camera in hand, exploring its little streets and many fountains. My lens of choice is my Canon 24-105L, great for most occasions. I would also suggest packing a fisheye and a super wide (14mm or 16mm) and a light, discrete tripod. I do fine with my Gorillapod, although for long exposures you’ll want something bigger and sturdier.

Jordan & Petra

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Jun 092011

Just returned from my trip to the Middle East with some great images from Petra. I will have another article soon.

Alaska: Denali National Park

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Jul 142010

In a well rehearsed goodbye, Mt. McKinley shows its majestic body above the clouds and begs me to come back. I smile at it from my airplane seat and I feel a mix of excitement and sadness as the mountain view recedes from my eyes. My visit to Alaska was short, barely 3 days but it was intense, both on the amount of miles I covered as well as the number of wildlife I’ve seen. The experience quite unique: my first wolves sighting, grazing bull moose, grizzly cubs wrestling, rivers running toward an infinite landscape… Denali National Park conquered my heart. A park that has nothing of the fast paced, bumper-to-bumper, Yellowstone rush hours, a park that was created for nature to preserve itself rather than to become an overpopulated vacation destination. I got a taste of this immense wilderness and I’m addicted. In the next few months I know I’ll be busy planning a return, a comeback in grandeur where I’ll be able to see more, to experience more and to lose myself in a land beyond time; me and my camera. Take only pictures, leave only footprints behind.

Denali truly is a haven for a landscape, as well as a wildlife photographer. In just a day I saw more wildlife than what I’d see in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in a year. By mid-afternoon yesterday I watched a large number of caribou walking lazily across a valley, two rams and many sheep, two wolves, ten grizzlies, four bull moose, two golden eagles and so much more.
The mountains were hidden by what felt like perennial clouds and the rain was nearly incessant, but that made for richer greens and allowed me to take some spectacular landscape images. If you come here for a limited time, as I did, take a green bus to Wonder Lake and if you’re lucky enough your driver will give you plenty details about the place and will be capable of spotting wildlife before anyone else sees it, mine did. The bus stops whenever somebody shouts “Stop! I saw something!” and that increases the amount of time it takes to get to destination, but remember: it’s about the travel itself. With so many alert eyes on board it won’t be long before you get your chance to come home with the photograph of a bull moose or grizzly you always wanted to take. My personal recommendation is to seat on the driver’s side of the bus, heading west, as you’ll be directly facing a more dramatic landscape as well as areas where the animals are more likely to be. This was just an explorative trip for me, already knowing that I would’ve wanted to come back, and it gave me ideas of what to do next time I visit Denali; how to manage my time in the park; what to do and see and most importantly what to bring. My gear of choice this time was: my Canon 7D (I left the 5D Mark II at home as I wanted the extra reach of the 7D but didn’t want t be bothered by the weight of two bodies), Canon EF-S 10-22mm for those special landscape shots, Canon EF-100-400mm L IS, Canon EF-24-105 L IS. These two ended up being the most used lenses, particularly the 100-400 which made more than one person jealous. Sure, I was wishing I had the new Canon 800mm, but how many people can hand-hold that lens for more than 10 seconds without getting tired? (Without even considering the nearly-prohibitive price of that lens ).Also, remember that you’re on a bus for a long time, therefore you’ll have vibrations and bumps and the 100-400 is a lot easier to handle, hiking with the 800mm might not be wise. Moreover, with the 7D crop factor it becomes an actual 160-640mm lens. When the bus stops because of nearby wildlife you cannot get off as park regulations forbids that, but you can get off the bus at any other time and hike from there until you’re ready to jump back on-board, which could be an hour or a week later, according to your taste and preparation
The other accessory that has become essential to me is my Cotton Carrier, no more hiking getting bruises on my neck or back pain (read a review here). I also brought a circular warming polarizer but I never got a chance to use it. With so many wildflowers in July it’s also a good idea to bring a macro if you enjoy capturing the details of plants and flowers.

Hawaii: Underwater Adventures

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Apr 302010

This week I’m in Hawaii spending some time underwater and working on some new SCUBA certifications. I just earned my Nitrox rating as well as my Advanced Open Water certification, for which I picked these five specialties: Deep Dive, Underwater Navigation, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck Diving and, why not, Underwater Photography. All the dives were boat dives booked through Aaron’s Dive Shop, located in the town of Kailua on Oahu. I have been using Aaron’s services for all of my dives ever since I earned my Open Water PADI certification because of the knowledge and friendliness of the staff, as well as the quality of their customer service. My Enriched Air Nitrox course took place entirely in Aaron’s classroom, located above the shop, and consisted on going through the knowledge review of the course book and spend a great deal of time doing exercises to calculate the body exposure to nitrogen, oxygen, limits, etc. The course ends with a comprehensive written exam, which is submitted to PADI before a Nitrox card with photo is issued. Without that card no diving operation will provide enriched air.

The first actual dive took place the following morning with the boat leaving around 7:30 to visit a few wrecks. This time I was diving for the first time with 32% and 36% oxygen blend (normail air contains 21% oxygen), I didn’t feel any difference. As I needed to focused with the tasks required for my Advanced Open Water certification I did not bring my camera, something that didn’t take me long to regret. The first dive of the day was down to a wreck, which I had visited before, but still fascinating. I think wrecks are my favorite thing to dive and it will not be long before I go for my full Wreck Diving certification, a more in-depth (no pun intended) course that goes into the technical ways to explore and map a wreck while remaining safe. The second dive was my Navigation dive and, with the aid of a compass, I was instructed on how to find my way underwater.

The next morning, same time, two more canisters of Enriched Air were ready for me on the boat. While the other divers on the boat prepared for their fun dives, with my instructor I reviewed the tasks and topics for my dives: Deep and Buoyancy. The first dive found me with a huge grin on my face at the depth of 33 meters (100 feet). We dove to the wreck of an old World War II fighter plane: a Corsair, the only true wreck on Oahu and I felt as if I was a miniature diver inside an aquarium, with the model plane below me surrounded by sand, and fish of all variety circling the wreck. Visibility was over 30 meters and the deep blue of the ocean faded to a soothing azure. Once again I wished I had my camera, but diving at that depth for the first time I wanted to concentrate on my tasks.

I took one day off from diving to rest and catch up with old friends and before I knew it I was back on the boat with the new air tanks waiting to be used. This time I had my camera and was looking forward to photograph some sea turtles as our dives were going to be at the turtles cleaning station. Unfortunately the ocean was pretty rough, both at the surface and below and we had to change our plans, since visibility was reduced to only about two feet at the original dive spot. During the entire time of the two dives I played with the controls of my Canon G10 in its underwater casing and took both still and video. I quickly learned that the diffuser which came with the casing is completely useless, so I stopped shooting with flash. That made the colors look somewhat washed out (and some disappeared completely) on the photo, although thanks to my mask and its special coating my sight still retained the reds at a little more depth than a regular mask would. Without strobes (direct flash doesn’t work underwater as there are too many particles suspended between the camera and your subject which get an overdose of light if you fire the flash directly at them) it’s hard to get good photos and they will mostly look blue, but it was fun to do it and it gives me a better understanding of how light works underwater.

Lonely Planet Guides Offer

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Apr 062010

I wanted to bring this offer to your attention, as Lonely Planet Guides are my first source of information when I travel. Buy 3 books and pay for 2, plus free shipping. Hardly gets any better than that. Click on the L.P. logo to visit the bookstore.

Japan Day 13 – Tokyo (Ghibli Museum)

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Apr 202008

At noon, she opened her bento box and offered to share it with me; I politely declined saying I would eat once in Tokyo. I didn’t feel like subtracting her of part of her meal, for as appetizing as it looked. The trip was very pleasant and I enjoyed our conversation, which added an extra glimpse into the life of Japanese people. After the necessary “Ja-Mata” (Goodbye) and her “Gambate Kudasai” (Good Luck) I left the train station heading to the subway toward Asakusa, to the twin hostel of the one where we previously stayed. A small double room, no windows, was $20 each. You can still get a bargain in Tokyo.

Lindsey had left Osaka earlier in the morning with the intention of hiking around Mount Fuji, of which I caught a glimpse of the base from the train as it was completely enveloped in the clouds, enough though to show me how massive it is. My plan was completely different: tour Mitaka, in the suburbs of Tokyo, and visit the Ghibly Studios. This was the fulfillment of another childwood wish: I grew up immersed in Japanese animation and Ayao Miyazaki has always been a favorite of mine among Japanese animation directors/creators with such acclaimed movies as Princess Mononoke, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Lupin, My Friend Totoro, Nausicaa and my all time favorite: Conan, the boy of the future (based on Alexander Key’s rare novel “The Incredible Tide”). I was lucky enough to make a reservation as often tours are sold out months in advance, so at the train station I hopped on a yellow bus painted on both sides with Miyazaki’s famous character and shortly after, with excitement, crossed the gate to a childhood world. At the gate the attendant took my reservation voucher and gave me a ticket, which is actually a celluloid frame from a random movie; with much joy mine is from “Castle in the Sky,” an instant collectible.

Part of the museum is build underground and entering it feels a bit like being inside a Disney park, they even have a cinema where a movie expressely made for the studios is shown.

The studios/museum was being visited by people of all nationalities as well as all ages, I even met several Italian tourists. The part I liked the most was the roof where, after climbing on a winding staircase, other than having a great view of the rest of the facilities, I could stare up at a replica of a giant gentle robot from the movie “Castle in the Sky.” People were taking turns to take snapshots of themselves with it. For those who have not seen this movie yet I strongly recommend it (Distributed by The Walt Disney Studios in the U.S.): it’s set in a not too far future, but contains elements from classic Disney tales. It’s not by chance that Miyazaki is known as the Japanese Walt Disney. The biggest difference is that in Disney movies you always have a battle between good and evil, whereas in the Ghibli movies at the end the evil is not so evil and turns out it has a heart, too. Photo opportunities abound here, too. Sure, it’s not your typical landscape but, just as in a Disney park, this is living artwork.

I returned to the station by foot, crossing a green park and along a beautiful and lush avenue with lanes divided by trees, flowers and a stream… who would have guessed, a stream in Tokyo. Lindsey arrived soon after my return to the hostel; she said she hiked a lot but had been unable to see Mount Fuji, I think the photos of this famous volcano will have to wait until my next trip to Japan. We walked out for dinner and found a place near the station with prices comparable to those of a candy bar and then took a train to Ginza to take more photos of neon lights and the Tokyo Tower. Lindsey made me notice how Japanese cities seem to go through a transformation at night, I have to agree with that.

A simple “Ii o-tenki desu-ne” was sufficient to launch me into a 3 hour Japanese conversation. That ubiquitous phrase, meaning “Nice weather, isn’t it?” is often used as a conversation opener. Little I knew, when I offered it politely at the passenger sitting next to me on the Shinkansen to Tokyo, that the older lady would become immediately curious about my entire life and understood the sentence as “I speak perfect Japanese, why don’t you go on and throw all you can at me and see how I score?” I feel like I’ve learned more Japanese in the three hour train ride than I did in the past two weeks. She relentessly questioned me about my travel, my origins, if I like her country (she smiled and nodded satisfactorily when I told her that I loved the geography and found the people to be the most hospitable I have ever met) and she went on telling me about her visit to Tokyo. I had to pull my faithful dictionary every now and then, and she waited very patiently for me to understand and reply. My advantage as an Italian is that when I hear a Japanese word I know exactly how to spell it, making easier to look it up. The day before, Chakie was actually quite surprised that, listening to a song on the radio in her car, I could repeat the words correctly.At noon, she opened her bento box and offered to share it with me; I politely declined saying I would eat once in Tokyo. I didn’t feel like subtracting her of part of her meal, for as appetizing as it looked. The trip was very pleasant and I enjoyed out conversation, which added an extra glimpse into the life of Japanese people. After the necessary “Ja-Mata” (Goodbye) and her “Gambate Kudasai” (Good Luck) I left the train station heading to the subway toward Asakusa, to the twin hostel of the one where we previously stayed. A small double room, no windows, was $20 each. You can still get a bargain in Tokyo.Lindsey had left Osaka earlier in the morning with the intention of hiking around Mount Fuji, of which I caught a glimpse of the base from the train as it was completely enveloped in the clouds, enough though to show me how massive it is. My plan was completely different: tour Mitaka, in the suburbs of Tokyo, and visit the Ghibly Studios. This was the fulfillment of another childwood wish: I grew up immersed in Japanese animation and Ayao Miyazaki has always been a favorite of mine among Japanese animation directors/creators with such acclaimed movies as Princess Mononoke, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Lupin, My Friend Totoro, Nausicaa and my all time favorite: Conan, the boy of the future (based on Alexander Key’s rare novel “The Incredible Tide”). I was lucky enough to make a reservation as often tours are sold out months in advance, so at the train station I hopped on a yellow bus painted on both sides with Miyazaki’s famous character and shortly after, with excitement, crossed the gate to a childhood world. At the gate the attendant took my reservation voucher and gave me a ticket, which is actually a celluloid frame from a random movie; with much joy mine is from “Castle in the Sky,” an instant collectible.Part of the museum is build underground and entering it feels a bit like being inside a Disney park, they even have a cinema where a movie expressely made for the studios is shown.The studios/museum was being visited by people of all nationalities as well as all ages, I even met several Italian tourists. The part I liked the most was the roof where, after climbing on a winding staircase, other than having a great view of the rest of the facilities, I could stare up at a replica of a giant gentle robot from the movie “Castle in the Sky.” People were taking turns to take snapshots of themselves with it. For those who have not seen this movie yet I strongly recommend it (Distributed by The Walt Disney Studios in the U.S.): it’s set in a not too far future, but contains elements from classic Disney tales. It’s not by chance that Miyazaki is known as the Japanese Walt Disney. The biggest difference is that in Disney movies you always have a battle between good and evil, whereas in the Ghibli movies at the end the evil is not so evil and turns out it has a heart, too. Photo opportunities abound here, too. Sure, it’s not your typical landscape but, just as in a Disney park, this is living artwork.I returned to the station by foot, crossing a green park and along a beautiful and lush avenue with lanes divided by trees, flowers and a stream… who would have guessed, a stream in Tokyo. Lindsey arrived soon after my return to the hostel; she said she hiked a lot but had been unable to see Mount Fuji, I think the photos of this famous volcano will have to wait until my next trip to Japan. We walked out for dinner and found a place near the station with prices comparable to those of a candy bar and then took a train to Ginza to take more photos of neon lights and the Tokyo Tower. Lindsey made me notice how Japanese cities seem to go through a transformation at night, I have to agree with that.

Japan Day 12 – Kanazawa

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Apr 192008

For today’s excursion, the city of Kanazawa, we took the Shinkansen to Nagoya and from there an express train to our destination. On our way in, just out of the city our view was filled with majestic mountains still covered in snow. Kanazawa, located on the North-West coast of the country, faces the Japan Sea and is an historical city of fascinating beauty, famous for its white castle, founded in 1583, and for being home of what is considered one of the best three gardens in Japan: the Kenroku-en (Kenroku-en means “garden which combines six characteristics” – these are: spaciousness, serenity, venerability, scenic views, subtle design, and coolness). The other two gardens are: Koraku-en in Okayama and Kairaku-en in Mito.
The day was sunny and warm so we avoided any public transportation and walked instead. We spent a good part of the morning venturing around the old town, with its wooden buildings, in awe for the details of the architecture.
A side of the city is surrounded by lush hills, and Lindsey, feeling in need for a hike went in that direction, while I set course toward the castle and the gardens. The nicest way to get to the castle and the gardens is an avenue that climbs and twists with shops and restaurants opening on one side. Just like many other places we visited in Japan, this too has an abundance of trees and blooming flowers, and cherry trees here were just starting to come to life, making Kanazawa rival with Kyoto for sheer beauty. I was feeling quite hungry since lunch time had come and gone, and after walking back and forth in front of a few restaurants I picked one for lunch. The hostess walked me upstairs and showed me a nice big table in front of the open balcony with a direct view of the castle. The waitress, few seconds behind, was very nice but seemed a bit perplexed as I ordered two miso-based dishes; I’m guessing that when in Japan one should stick to a single miso dish, probably the equivalent of ordering two pasta dishes at a restaurant in Italy. After a few minutes she came back with a glass of water (misu) thinking that I mispronounced the word. A laughter after, which included the neighboring tables, I made myself clear on the fact that I wanted the two soups and, although still perplexed (this must have been a very awkward order for her, but hey, I love miso), she put the correct order in and returned later with my food, which was tasty and satisfying. I noticed that the price of a meal in tourist areas is pretty consistent around the country: about $10.

Once taken care of the rumbling stomach, I made my way toward the garden and rejoined with Lindsey. Together we spent several hours exploring and admiring the cure and details put in this place: we had found another photographer’s paradise. We walked out of the gates at sunset time and we enjoyed watching the sun setting over the castle, which unfortunately was already closed, so we walked a bit more around this pretty town before making our way back to Osaka.