LOBSTERS GALORE continued
|
One year later, I participated in the VEMA Seamount Expedition. This seamount, located some 500 miles ( 700 kms) west of
Doring Bay, rises from a basin depth of over 3 kms to a flat top of only about 20 fathoms below the sea surface.
As a marine geologist/diver I had the good luck to be selected for the pair to make the first dive. We climbed into the strong metal cage designed to keep us safe from sharks alleged to be very abundant here, but I escaped from the cage when the winch operator dropped us too fast for my ears. No sharks to be seen,(but numerous yellowtail) so on down to the bottom, where I was the first to set foot! It was not quite that simple, because I first had to push away some four layers of lobsters amassed there for or before my arrival... |
| I brought two of them up to the surface where they were welcomed by Allan Heydorn and his assistant Henny Crous. In one of the subsequent dives, Allan and "Doc" Pretorius of the S.A. Navy planted the South African flag on the highest point. One of the shipboard journalists reported our finds to Capetown. To our subsequent regret, the entire S.A fishing fleet sailed and and wiped out the entire lobster population within one year. |
 BLO fecit 20051109 - stories more links: A - B - C - D |
 Allan Heydorn, who authored several articles on VEMA seamount and its lobsters, and with whom I was happy to get back in touch by Email after 40 years! |