bonfire dives (light-trap dives)

[bghazzal]

As a parallel line of discussion, would anyone here have experience with the cousin of "blackwater" diving, shallow bonfire dives (light-trap dives ) as regularly organised in macro-friendly locations such as Anilao or Lembeh, for instance?
 

I'd imagine the actual shooting parameters are similar, with the major difference that this is done in shallow-water, with a set of lure light placed on the sand, mooring line or float, to create the "bonfire" and attract critters by recreating the planktonic food chain.
 

There's a nice interview of NAD Lembeh's Simon Buxton, covering mostly bonfire-type dive organized there:
 

 

and there's also lots of footage  coming from various locations on Youtube.

 

Not requiring a boat and reaching deep-water, this type of planktonic night diving is logistically much easier to organise.
While it will most likely not bring out as many pelagic/deep water migratory critters as diving off-shore over deepwater (and also lacks the thrill of the unknown 😄) I'm curious about the bonfire setups people have encountered, and their experience compared to actual deep-water blackwater dives.
 

While this clearly depends on location, underwater topography and current flow (rich macro locations and locations with deep water access being particularly suitable), based on footage it can be quite interesting - and in certain areas it's actually common to encounter quite a few of the marvelous larval/post larval (deep) "blackwater highlights" in the shallows, such as the amazing wunderpus post-larval stage (Mars Attacks!), which can be spotted in as shallow as 7m of water, along with other larval cephalopods, etc...

Easier logistics (often a simple shore dive) would also make it a good way to practice shooting small critters in the water column on a more regular basis. Something to look into!

 

I've also seen this type of diving refered as "light trap" diving, mostly in Japan, where I've seen some very nice pictures/footage coming from these types of dives, from Okinawa and also locations with deep water access like Toyama or Osezaki.
When I was working on Hachijo island in Japan (fairly remote, 300km from the mainland and bathed by the powerful Kuroshio) we would get things like larval dolphinfish / mahimahi in the harbour bays on night dives...

 

cheers

 

ben

Edited September 6 by bghazzal

[Davide DB]

I found this:

 

 

 

[bghazzal]

This one is also quite nice:
 

Anilao and Lembeh seem pretty consistant, lovely stills as well

[Davide DB]

1 hour ago, Davide DB said:

I found this:

 

 

 

 

From what I can see @ 2'58" they put the lights as in a normal BW and, given the shallow depth, the seafloor gets completely enlighten.

 

[jlaity]

Is the only difference between bonfire and black water whether you can see the bottom? 

 

To me, “bonfire dive” is when they put lights on the bottom to attract life, like the manta dive in Kona, Hawaii. It’s in around 60 feet of water with lights on the bottom to attract plankton to feed the mantas. All black water dives have lights on a line, for a location reference and safety as much as to attract critters. 

[bghazzal]

Yes, there's no real difference, other than that for traditional black water are usually done over deep water, so as to attract deep-dwelling critters during their theoretical nightly migration from the depths.

Bonfire dives, whether on a line (mooring line, or shallow suspensions) or on the bottom (lights placed on the sand, creating a light "bonfire") are generally stationary night dives with a lure light, done in the shallows, often on shore dives.

In this sense it is indeed similar to the light-pooling night dives like the mantas (Hawaii) /whale sharks (Maldives)/mobulas (sea of Cortez) etc, with the major exception that the focus here is not to try to drag in large planctonic feeders but, as in traditional deep black water diving, to recreate the food chain (micro-plankton eating zooplankton coming to feed, etc)

 

The main difference is depth - you are not diving offshore around a suspended line), as this is done in shallow water. Your also not drifting in the current, the light source is stationary.
You do not need a boat, logistics are much simpler, cheaper (poor man's blackwater? 😉).

As for the difference in critters showing up, it's really location (topography, current, upwellings, moon cycles and general fauna) dependent - with the clear caveat that some true deepwater (Nautilus for instance) critters will almost certainly not be around, and that there will probably be more swarmies.

In a sense, "bonfire", light-pooling, light-trap night dives are all shorthand for shallow, usually stationary "blackwater" ( planktonic and larval focused) diving.

cheers

Edited September 10 by bghazzal

[bghazzal]

I found this definition:

Blackwater Diving vs Bonfire Diving

So as not to confuse the terms and to establish a clear difference, there is “Blackwater diving” and “Bonfire diving”.

Blackwater diving is done in the open ocean; it is NOT an ordinary night dive with a subject photographed in the dark. Blackwater diving is done where there is no bottom, over very deep water, using a downline and lights to attract larval and pelagic subjects.

Bonfire diving is done over a shallow area by using torches planted in the sand or hanging them in the water (or both) facing deeper water. During a Bonfire dive, one can expect to see subjects that are still larval but closer to the settling stages of their lifecycle. Bonfire style dives are also a great way to learn the dive skills, hunting skills and photo skills needed for blackwater diving but without the stress. 

Both styles of diving are equally important to gain a better understanding of the marine world. Both will expose divers to a variety of jellyfish, salp, comb jellies, pterapods. shrimps, octopus, squids, the list is endless…

Source: https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/art-of-blackwater-photography
 

Edited Wednesday at 12:27 PM by bghazzal