Underwater model Sandi Knight Moore
Editor's Message
It is 28 years since I began Underwater Geographic Magazine, which ran as a quality quarterly for 15 years. At the time of its demise (1995 ) I knew nothing about the worldwide web, digital imagery, web sites or computers and was not able to make the transition, or even imagine that it was possible for me to do so.
Today, with the help of JoeY my able assistant and loyal friend, I am proud to announce that I have been successfully digitally initiated and with our new Web site up and running and an abundance of new age educational products on line, I am proud to resurrect Underwater Geographic Magazine in a new medium........... Neville Coleman’s World of Water - Online Journal.
The new WORLD of WATER - Online Journal will be there to support everybody in the entire diving industry, to serve the greatest adventure activity on the planet, scuba diving.
It will not affect my contributions to other diving magazines, or on-line websites, in fact, its presence will only stand to encourage greater participation in diving magazines across the world, because in reality, DIVING MAGAZINES are the lifeblood of the diving industry.
We will neither compete, nor compare with other magazines but will be there on the world stage, encouraging and (with Neville’s 2,000,000 + references against his name, books, interests and services) promoting a greater participation in diving and snorkelling and all their associated activities. Built on a foundation of exploration, discovery, education, dive travel, research, expeditions, conservation, adventure, photography, wildlife, natural history and a positive attitude to the environment and life in general.
World of Water - Online Journal will continue to profile the philosophy of its creator.
The reality of today
In spite of the fact that this editorial was written and published 28 years ago it applies even more so today, almost as if it was only thought up yesterday.
Whether we like it or not, divers are the only group of individuals that could ever act as guardians to the World of Water; there are no other groups in the world with the access, training and opportunity... there is nobody else.
As guardians of the world’s greatest resources we must understand that we really have an important job to do, far more than most could ever imagine.
Now that Neville has entered the digital age, his dreams of bringing about a Marine Life Inventory of Asia/Indo Pacific Dive Sites has become a reality!
When does a Dream become Reality?
Perhaps the important thing about some dreams is that they never come true. Perhaps they should remain far above the possibilities of life’s endeavours, to provide constant reference to how wonderful life would be, if only... After all, dreaming for its own sake and the belief of dreams, as dreams, keep many from the brink of despair and allow passage through life to continue on more bearable terms.
But what about real dreams, the kind that are created, the kind which only become reality through total dedication to wanted, elusive ideas culled from the subconscious realms of twilight?
Imaginings of the possible, fanciful visions of the impossible, who is to know?
We live in an age where the possible and the impossible are accomplished every day, side by side. What seems impossible to some can be made possible by others. It all depends on attitudes. With enough enthusiasm, belief and the constant application of directed energy it is amazing just what can be produced, even from dreams. Making your dreams come true is not that difficult, for all it really requires is
BELIEF in YOURSELF!
Neville’s entire life was built on self-inspired dreams...The MAGIC of MAKE-believe
As the largest island land mass in Australasia, Australia has around 20,000,000 people living in close proximity to the sea. Yet apart from those more aware conspirators, the majority have little, if any, knowledge or understanding of the sea, or its inhabitants.
Our institutions are only beginning to realise the severity of our situation. In many marine animal groups we have no expertise in Australia and education in ecological work, fauna surveys and other related fields is severely restricted due to the incredible lack of knowledge in the effective identification of many marine organisms, especially living organisms.
I wonder why we are so far behind in our appreciation of the marine environment? Are we too busy watching the rest of the world go by on our television sets to take time out to experience our own natural world? Why is it that with one of the longest and most beautiful shorelines in the world we know so little about it? Indeed, scientific institutes have a smattering of knowledge, but what do WE as divers know or CARE?
Over two centuries ago Australia was discovered by seafaring Europeans who faced the unknown of their time and accepted the challenge of the sea. The frontier of our time is the same sea and its challenge has no more diminished with the passage of time for it is beneath the sea that man faces an inheritance of thousands of year’s nescience.
To me, a diver, be they a naturalist, photographer, scientist, observer or adventurer, is an explorer. Not just an explorer in another world but an explorer in another concept, in which ideas, techniques, philosophies, languages and ideals are constantly being changed, remodelled and invented.
The sea is only an extension of the land but it makes up 71% of the total surface area of our planet. Yet we call it, Earth. We cannot in any way, shape or form ever begin to understand this vast unknown part of our everyday existence by standing at a distance and throwing rocks, or by sticking pins in it to see if it’s alive.
Nor can we hope to evaluate the sea and its contents by remote control robots. We must go down and see for ourselves. We must study and observe the creatures and their relationships within the total overall balance of life as we know it. It must be realised that the land, the air and the sea are all one gigantic system, all related, all connected, all dependant and all important.
Perhaps we need more than a cold,
calculating, scientific approach.
Perhaps we need to be encouraged by
more effective visual communication.
Perhaps we need some sweet talkin'
before we can learn to appreciate
what is ours by inheritance.
If we have to be seduced into loving and
caring for our own then that is what
World of Water - Online Journal is all about,
and that is what I am about.
Unfortunately my plans have been interupted as I was diagnosed with a life-threatning illness in 2009 which has limited my ability and curtailed my diving. However, it has in no way curtailed my enthusiasm for diving, nor my ability to promote it and continue to encourage and educate all towards what is the greatest adventure activety on the planet.
Since falling ill I have written and designed the first Marine Life Identification App. in the world and we have just completed three eBooks in the Hazardous Marine Life series.
With my future somewhat uncertain there is still a lot to do and I am up for the challenge with several more diver orientated educational/Identification eBooks already in the works and a host of exciting projects to carry on with while my fate is blowing on the wind.
I set out to challenge my fears and in turn discovered an understanding far beyond the realms of my imagination. I can hardly take off just yet; the real journey has only just begun!
Business no different than usual, "Everything, on MAKE-believe!"
Contributors
Jorina van der Westhuizen - Jorina is based in Brisbane, Queensland. Originally from South-Africa she has been involved in Television Production and Video Editing for many years.
Trained as a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, with experience in technical diving in South-Africa before immigrating to Australia where she worked as a Instructor and Underwater Videographer in Cairns.
Moving interstate in 2002 Jorina was employed as a video editor at Network Ten and freelanced as a editor at the ABC.
Trading as Digital Illusions filming underwater documentaries and freelancing as a multi-media Designer for World of Water. Her design skills are reflected in World of Water's websites and in the production of Neville’s Wildlife series, Marine Life Identification App for iPhone and the development of the Hazardous Marine Life series for iPad available in the Apple Bookstore.
Personal videographer and photographic assistant on all Neville’s expeditions. Currently compiling Neville’s underwater autobiographical documentary series "Footsteps in the Sea".
Nigel Marsh and Helen Rose are Australian photojournalists based in Brisbane, Queensland. The couple are married and have enjoyed many dive adventures around Australia, Asia and the Pacific.
They write articles on dive travel, shipwrecks, marine life and equipment reviews, and their work is regular published in Dive Log, Sportdiving, Dive Pacific, Asian Diver, Shark Diver and the Courier Mail newspaper.
Nigel has also co-authored two diving guide books with Neville Coleman, including the very popular Diving Australia. Visit their website www.nigelmarshphotography.com.
Although all of our photo-journalists are industry professionals there will always be a place for beginners, new divers and first-time photographers.
Once our content is maximized we will have regular photographic competitions
with a range of excellent prizes and unusual categories.
IDENTITY CRISIS PHOTOJOURNALISM UNDERWATER PIONEERS
NATURE IN FOCUS UNDERWATER DISCOVERY UNDERWATER EDUCATION
CONSERVATION CONCERNS MARINE LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
DIVE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS SURVIVAL TIPS
NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES UNDERWATER EXPLORATION
LIVE ABOARD DIVING COMMUNITY PROJECTS
MARINE LIFE INVENTORY OF ASIA/INDO-PACIFIC DIVE SITES