Rudolf Peter from Papua Diving dropped in recently for a visit on his way to Raja Ampat, and even more intriguing, he volunteered to meet Gadget Guru! (We attributed this odd request to jet lag.) Fortunately(?),Gadget was able to make time (in between blowing things up) to come over for a chat. By now, Rudolf Peter should be safely over in Raja Ampat…recovering.

Coincidentally, we’ve got a big feature on Raja Ampat in the next issue of FiNS, which will be out very soon. If you haven’t done so already, subscribe to FiNS via iTunes and get the next issue as soon as it’s released!

The votes have been tallied, and the winner of the Raja Ampat tag design contest is FiNS Contributor Alex Mustard! His winning shot of a pygmy seahorse will be printed on all 2008 Raja Ampat Tourism Entry System tags.

More information on the contest and results here. Keep an eye out for our Raja Ampat feature in the upcoming FiNS Magazine issue 6.6.

Dive Rite Express is pleased to announce its sister site www.rebreatherexpress.com. This site currently carries closed-circuit rebreathers, parts, and all consumables for Dive Rite’s O2ptima FX, Ambient Pressure Diving’s Inspiration and Evolution, as well as the Innerspace Systems Corp Megalodon. The site also holds an impressive library of information and expert advice to help anyone - from open-circuit divers who wants to learn more, through expert and experienced rebreather divers.

Rebreather Express offers the same high standard of customer service as Dive Rite Express, and all orders for in-stock items ship the same business day. FREE international shipping applies to orders over $350 USD.

If you think you’ve got cool gear, check this out. Rudy Heeman of Hira, New Zealand wasted spent 800 hours spread over 11 years plus thousands of dollars to build a hovercraft flying boat thing with a hull, wings, a Subaru car engine and lots of sticky tape adhesive.

On it’s maiden voyage cruise flight, the vehicle contraption clocked an impressive 98 kph at an altitude of 1.5 metres above lake level. (It’s not entirely certain whether those parameters were intentional or a complete surprise.)

The first foray ended in a less-than-elegant landing, resulting in a slightly bruised leg, but the would-be captain pilot stuntman duck inventor has apparently fixed the malfunction problem and is almost ready to take the floating plane flying boat thing for another ride flight test, this time with a victim volunteer passenger.

Logically, this should be someone he knows and hates likes, but apparently some strange woman with three dogs (”Why three?” one has to wonder) showed up and suggested the first passenger should be her (No word yet on how that negotiation went or whether any or all of the three dogs would be involved).

Authorities in New Zealand (who obviously have too much free time) have already classified the thingamig as a marine vehicle and not an aircraft.

One thing is clear, our Gadget Guru has his work cut out for him, since there’s obviously someone nuttier more inventive in the southern hemisphere. Source.

Researchers may have discovered the key to synchronised mass coral spawning in an ancient gene that produces primitive light-sensitive pigments known as cryptochromes that developed more than 500 million years ago. These pigments may allow corals to sense moonlight, thus enabling them to coordinate simultaneous spawning across vast distances. Cryptochromes occur in insects, fish and mammals (in people too), so perhaps there’s something to the age-old tradition of romance by moonlight after all? Read more here.

The first annual Celebes Safari event is being held from 20 to 25 November in Sabah, Malaysia. In addition to being able to partake in some of world’s best diving in the waters around Mabul, Kapalai and Sipadan, participants will be able to join in beach activities, games, a photography contest and talks by FiNS Magazine contributor Tony Wu and Treasure Images’ Eric Madeja.

Contact the organiser for more information.

We paid a surprise visit to Gadget Guru at his workshop, catching him in the middle of dissecting someone’s poor dive computer. Fortunately, we distracted him long enough for the dive computer to gather itself and escape, albeit with a few screws loose. See Gadget’s latest column here.

Imagine if someone said to you, “Carry this sea anchor on every dive. You don’t need it now, but there is a possibility you’ll need it on a dive a few years from now.” Silly, right?

Yet this is exactly what happens when a recreational single-tank diver (that’s most everyone) purchases an oversized wing primarily intended for use with double tanks, because they have a vision of someday becoming a technical diver. Selecting an oversized wing means living with a lot of unnecessary drag…which means extra physical effort and higher gas consumption on every dive for years!

In our opinion, too much emphasis is placed on lift capacity when choosing a wing. If a diver is overweighted, they’ll need the extra lift capacity to counter excess weight, but “getting the lead out” is a separate discussion. In most diving, assuming a properly weighted diver, the wing only needs enough lift capacity to counter the negative buoyancy of the cylinder configuration being used.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

The finalists for this year’s Raja Ampat entrance tag design contest have been selected. Public voting decides the winner of the contest, so head over and cast your vote from now until 19 October!

Something large and curious made a guest appearance 900 metres down on an oil and gas exploration site last year. Take a look at this video to find out what it was. (Source: Appin Scientific Ltd)