I wanted another Panasonic, and GX1 is the latest addition to the awesome Four Third Family but Nauticam casing is slightly on the high side and they haven’t announce any release on GX1 yet. Fortunately Olympus came out with this beautiful old School OM-D E-M5 camera with in-house Casing.

This greatly narrows down my selection (actually i am getting this comes April) and I can just fit, adjust a few tray then i am good to dive with it already. I’ll probably be getting 2 Inon Z240 and fit it snugly on the improved casing via the fiber port. This Casing, we see Olympus improving the side dial to the LEFT SIDE for easier Control as compared to the previous modal with dials on the top making it relatively difficult for Divers to use.

BEST !

I saw this Beast in some  Camera Magazines and the first thing in my mind was ” OMG HOW MUCH IS THE CASING GONNA COST”, still a mystery as the camera is not in my Market yet. Estimated if i compared with its cousin GF3, GH2 it should be approximately RM 7,500 …. The camera is about RM 3000 when it hits our shore.

To fund my interest, i am Selling my LX5 together with Casing, arms and Strobe Just to be able to afford that Camera alone. Which brings me in deep thought, SHOULD i go for another Compact OR Just tighten my belt and get a DSLR. Of course the latter will need more funding and i am seriously running out of stuff at home to sell.

Some friends suggested i go Olympus since their in-house casing is pretty ok, like this

PT-EP06L or PT-EP03

worth a thought since the casing cost less than the camera and most of my Ultra Light accessories are usable. If i were to go DSLR, the entry level (i’m always a Lumix/Panasonic fan) i’ll be using GH2 with Nauticam Casing. Deep cut into my savings and i’ll have to eat seaweeds for the next 5 years, which is actually quite healthy

with

Nauticam Casing.

so, Unless I strike Lottery, this is still a far fetched dream but dream is what kept us going….. …. IF any of you kind souls would like to sponsor me, I’ll thank you for an eternity, or two

In a very near future, we will have to live on or underwater due to contamination  (not necessarily Nuclear)  caused by us, the humans that throw, dispose and never recycle products be it bio or solid materials. We fill lands with junks, we mountain them with wastage and the repercussion ? scared land, extinction of animals, plantations and ecosystem

Most divers/environmentalist/plant huggers/etc urges the importance of keeping the land/sea healthy. They ran petitions, demonstrated in every streets, some wrote songs, some sang them, some pen poems and others advocated furiously. yet these cries fall on deaf ears.

I’m not asking you to sell your car, cut off your electric supplies , hunt for food and live in  Ice age methods but whatever, whenever try to keep this in mind. Learn to save , learn to recycle, learn to reuse, to retain and to reduce.

Among 6 Billion Souls, you Alone can make significant difference

The Invitation:

I’ve learned a crucial point is that, regardless how well the plans you planned, is never gonna be as good as the spontaneous , totally random ones. We had vacuum opportunity of such when @Myhorng decided to include us #porkgang into his annual family trip: Koh Lipe

Normally we would require much emails corresponding, group chat convincing and some dinner chat to lure, poison and to entice everyone but fortunately some from our group got her Open Water, some bought new dive equipment, some just quit her job, some looking for adventure and some just bored shitless, Lulcky Us.

The History:

Koh Lipe Island is located at the very southern tip of West Thailand. Thais would normally fly to Hat Yai, board a ferry to the island. Malaysians on the other hand can only Ferry from either Penang or Langkawi. We chose Langkawi for several reasons, Alcohol, Alcohol and Alcohol !! Being one of Malaysia’s DUTY Free State/Island, how can alcoholics like us resist the chance of grabbing a few mini bars arsenals.

Island itself is the smallest among the three, Koh Adang & Koh Rawi but being thailand’s oldest national forest reserves, Koh Lipe was the only island Thai Gov sacrifice making it a tourist destination. Nicely done.

Since bookings were made randomly at random times, we have three different resorts/hotels. Some were at Zanom, Sunrise Beach enjoying the serenity and the strong breeze. I was at Pattaya Beach’s west tip, Forra Resort enjoying the bustling arrays of restaurants, bars and massage parlour which we frequent very very often.

They have so much to offer, being a bookworm, being a party animal, divers, photographers, jungle trekkers, devout Buddhist, sand lovers and etc. Really one island to suits everything & everyone. some like me and some friends did diving while the rest were basking themselves silly.

The dive:

We made our booking tru Forra Dive, they operates from within 3 spots. Pattaya, Sunrise and Forra Barracuda (Walking Street) with Antoine. A solid, rustic looking French that have seen many moons in that island. If you met him elsewhere, you’ll assumed he’s with the Foreign Legion.

we’re pluck from our resorts to Forra Boat, massive 60 footer, well equipped with all necessity needed for a comfortable  LOB experience. On board, Antoine and his crew comprises of Dive Masters and rescue divers.

3 dives per day and the whole day out beginning at 9am till 8pm due to the distance and gap from 1 dive site to another.

 Black Moon, have you guys heard about it ? is not mythical or involving any nude dances around any bonfire. Is when the Moon is positioned directly behind the SUN. This is when earth gravitational pull is strongest at one side making ocean tides and current misbehaving (strong & choppy). For experience diver this is excellent time for drift and also you’ll find numerous fishes and big guys come out to play: Strong current = more flow of foods

My 10bar casing still giving me problems especially with settings and dial control. I can’t get a single good setting when i saw some really interesting products

Someone sponsor me a new Underwater Casing plz !! i’ll buy my own DSLR !! hehe..

Xmas Wishlist:

1. Casing for

a) 7000D

b) GH2

c) GF2

d) D90

We managed to cut open 1 fishing’s trap to release a 5 feet Tall Moray Eel. We first thought is the fisherman’s daily income but when we saw the eel, there’s no choice but to cut the trap. Fisherman can starve for a day, but moray eel will die if starved a day. Fish Comes first

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmL5hC6SR7E

THE ISLAND

Regardless how you point your camera and shoot, the pictures will be like in any beautiful island postcard. it just can’t possible go wrong, not even disposable cameras.

Whole island once the sun hides, turns into a big fiesta with twirling fire dancers, reggae pubs, much like Koh Samui on full moon but less drugs , same amount of alcohol same amount of foreigners same Thai soil and all. Krap Krap

My Bro proposed to his 7 years GF Kimberly our last night at the island. He sms us asking us to scout a place, not too noisy, not too dull, not too dim and get ready to shoot, video once he’s on his knees. Congrats to you two

Watch the Proposal Video here ;

httpv://www.youtube.com/embed/4sb0x_bCSkw?rel=0

The Walking Street (i wonder if there’s any street there we need to swim, hop, fly or anything but walk) is covered with sovereignty of various trades. French selling Ice Cream (we have more info she’s selling more than Ice Cream), dive Shops, Utilities shop, Laundry, restaurants, pubs, souvenir shops and more restaurants. is almost daily routine to walk this street while relaxing along the beaches.

We as tourist, doing what tourist should do, snapping pictures like there’s no tomorrow.

Like all things, end must come. The epic adventures in Koh  Lipe will be seared into my memory for a long time and hopefully we get to visit this mystical island in the near future.

Our Transport to Ferry, thai ppl’s daily commune

catching another Glimpse of Koh Lipe before we depart’

The beautiful Emerald sea gently washing the white sand. 

‘

Langkawi !! here we come !’

Thank you my dearest  Bro and Sis

@myhorng @yukisq @fireangel @lavuarne @kimberlycun @shaolintiger @z33s and my Dar @_klin_ for such a remarkable holiday

We were at Pulau Redang for End Season dive. Whole resort just us crazy folks, doing crazy things. It was a blissful holiday.

For me, it was an escape from sanity as i think i was kinda depressed, fortunately as usual the sea water helps dampen my sorrow. With beautiful corals, clear visibility and great company, could you ask for more?

Here’s a series of pictures i took. The rest inside my Facebook.

“spiky sea cucumber”

“Purple Sea Anemone”

“Banded Coral Shrimp”

“Some soft Sea Corals, just taking cuz the contrast is just beautiful”

“Nudi”

“Just another interesting shot, i am actually practising some composition, hopefully in 5 years time when i look back, i can gauge my improvement”

“Shaolintiger apologizing to Nemo”

“Kimberly posing happily for camera”

“I am not very good in Wide Angle, just practicing”

“The whole bunch, at our last dive or so, happily descending”

“This is the closest i’ll ever get to a Barracuda, Giant Barracuda are fearful creatures due to PMS, Crankiness, Craziness and whole lots other”

“If God were fishing, this is what he’ll haul in, a bunch of narcosis Divers”

“Lil Miss Nicole with her Arsenals, this baby worth a small kancil”

“Derek is such a cam whore when it comes to diving, wait, he’s a cam whore in dry land too”

” All of us as a group diving in Redang for End Season lead by Ed the Man-Gills-sapien”

*taken with LX5 using 10bar casing, 1 x Sea& Sea Strobe with various Macro and Wide Angle lenses from Inon & 10Bar

This is truly a memorable dive, we lost a dear friend in this due to Car accident. She was bubbly and funny. Will be missed!

My 10bar Case wobbles over Ultra Light System’s Tray. Although 10bar has their own tray, they weight tons not flexible at all when you’re underwater. After changing to Ultralight System everything is smooth sailing until the screw at the bottom of the casing came slightly loose. Making whole casing turn left right. Underwater, this is extremely troublesome as you’re approaching the subject, the casing flips right ruining the entire shot. OR worse, detached and drop to abyss

So i emailed Terry from Ultralight system and immediately got a reply (Malaysia is GMT +8) and i remembered mailing him about 5pm my time. He gotten a few pictures from my casing problem against his tray, we traded a few options, went thru a few ideas and the next day he sent me a couple of solutions.

Voila ! improvised solution but is working so fine now.

Since the day i bought a casing from 10bar for my LX5, the dial behind gave problems but i stuck a piece of rubber to maximized the contact between the dial to my camera’s. This is not the permanent solution. Luckily i went Hong Kong for holiday and i thought yeah why not bring the back piece over for some check up and servicing. I called 10bar, they immediately addressed the problems and even send my parts back to my hotels. Was told to send the whole Casing , front and back for some upgrades (mine was 1st gen LX5 casing).

Service Service Service is 100% guarantor for returning business. Small rant but BIG compliment to both Terry from Ultralight System and Miss Chen from 10BAR.

We will be heading to  Redang for the “End Season Dive”. With monsoon creeping slowly, the once calm sea will soon morphed to raging beast, beating thunderous roars on the shore and waves as high as 50 floors . OK, i exaggerated but during Monsoon, no resorts will be open and the sea is really choppy. Underwater Current will be strong as well making diving almost torturous.

But This trip is not so much about diving, lots have happened past weeks and for me, this trip is more like an escape from insanity. Some sun, lotsa sea water, salt in my mouth, beer in hand and a great good company for 4 days. No work, no worries. Just me in the sea

Redang, an island off Terengganu state. what used to be an island where only locals know yet rarely visit became one of the top most visited Island thanks to the Hong Kong Movie ” Mo Mo Tea”. Flocking endlessly with snorkelers, divers and sun lover weeks after weeks during peak and off peak season despite getting the miserable 7 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur.

However, an island still better than my Concrete Jungle. and i really do need this Holiday. Will post some Macro Pics with a twist since i been redang so many times before.

~月光島, 為我哭泣~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mneDhOtVEQw

Frilled Shark, is one Shark you either love it or fear it.

I have more reason to believe this is the closest connection to A Loch Ness. They could have grown bigger in the deep sea they often dwell during when we don’t have that many Toxic in the ocean, don’t have so many Fishing boats with Grenades or Arsenic or trawler  net. Is Possible, we had bigger Elephants (mammoth) than today, bigger Fishes in the river, bigger everything back then.

one lonely lad was caught off japan shore a few years back, took it back to the Marine park where it died a few hours later. Maybe is already sick and frail as these Sharks don’t usually swim so near surface. Deep Dwellers, about 1,500m ++

We hope when technology permits in near future, we can examine and learn more about these wonderful deep sea creatures. for now, lets just stick to what we can handle  !

*pictures from random Googling and from Wikipedia.org 

                                            Steve Job 1955- 2011

Steve’s battle against his cancer ended today. Resting peacefully. Remembered by Billions and Missed by all. Every Good bad remarks about him is at this moment flying tru all channels of Social Media. Tweets, FB, blogs etc. A college Dropouts, built computers at his garage, Gave us all Iphones, IPod, Ipad and all the I’s. the Giant sleeps and his Apple Tree lives on !

Even Other Giants Weeps:

1. Google

2. Bill Gates

3. Barack Obama

Is not justifiable to hit with a pick axe like club (hakapik) on the head of the cub or shooting them either. They don’t explode upon maturity, they don’t rampage your town eating your youngs or cause Nuclear holocaust. WHY on earth would a First world Country like CANADA/GREENLAND/RUSSIA/NORWAY/NAMIBIA still allows this !

Canadian Seal Hunting Season starts from Nov15th to May 15. That’s like 7 months out of 12.  Is not SEASON ! Is like a life long career for them ! A GAME, spots or national pastime.

During the 3-year period of 2003-2005, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) allowed a kill quota of 975,000 baby and adult harp seals and 30,000 adult hood seals.

 

 

A life is a life, be it in animals or humans. Clubbing is Clubbing and pain is felt regardless if you’re Animals or Humans. If a person can  land blows at helpless animals, can same method be used on yourself?

http://liberationbc.org/issues/seal_hunt

http://www.seashepherd.org/seals/seal-hunt-facts.html

http://www.peta.org/