Muellema

Hi, If individuell boycotting will not work tell me your solution. I myself do not want to support this current corrupt system. Br Markus

Hi, I’ve been diving in Mexico several times. Most recently, last October, I dove Cenotes and Baja for 5 weeks. Lucky last year not get ripped off at border in Cancun for my UW rig. I was planning to go again this October. CANCELLED............. no more bucks for Mexico from my side Br Markus

Hi, I do not know the size of your F-stop backpack. But if you do not extend size for international carry on luggage (55 x 40 x 23 cm) it should not be a problem. May be some discussions on check-in. If they refuse, let them know about the value and the fragility. This usually works. Br Markus

Hi, I flew the same route (Tahiti, Moorea, Rangiroa and Fakarava) with Air Tahiti, though it was a few years ago. Even back then, the limit for hand luggage was 5 kg. I had two Lowepro camera backpacks. You simply have to pay excess baggage fees. At check-in, you just need to explain or show that it is camera equipment. Back then, you were allowed to take it onto the plane as hand luggage. Since it wouldn't fit in the overhead bins, it was stowed at the back of the cabin and handed back to you when you disembarked. Do not know current situation. But this is how my equipment was handled in other countries travelling with small planes over the last years. Br Markus

Hi, I hope for the best for you. Weather is always a issue in SA. Dived SA/Mozambique for several times. Always a lot of wind/waves/swells. Maybe you are lucky to get some great shots. Br Markus

Hi, no problem. I’ve replaced the batteries in my Solas units before, though it was a while ago. I couldn't remember the polarity, so I double-checked it. Best regards, Markus

Hi, Toki 10-17mm is a good choice. I used it for many years with my Nikon D300 but sold it when I changed to FF. I know SA Sardine run and Mexico Sardine run are different. But also last year in Mexico we did all trips snorkeling. Once the hunt starts most of the time the Bait moves often very fast. So go jump in the water, go back into the boat....... many times per day. So no good idea to gear up diving equipment. To swim after the bait...... good luck😜. May be if you are lucky and find static baits. From my experience most of the time where there is action there is fast movement. Here two examle photos. First action bait, second with static bait (no hunters). First shot is about 17 years ago with the Nikon D300. Not a good shot. Water was boiling/murky and really hard to get some halfway sharp shots. Anyway just to give you an idea what could happen. Have fun in SA (if you have time do some diving at Protea). Great shark diving over there. Br Markus

Hi, have two Sola 2000 and checked charger polarity just now with multimeter.1 = plus, 3 = minus. Pin 2 is is only to prevent plugging in the wrong way round. Had the same problem with defect charger a couple years ago and found third party one at ebay. This charger is still working fine. Will try to find out which one I had bought back then. Br Markus

Hi, hard to say. Always a lucky punch. I shoot FF and mostly Nikkor 16-35 and Nikkor 08-15 with Kenko1.4 in these situations, like baits or big group of fish. I balanced my my rig positive on Sardine run in Mexico last year. Worked fine for me. I think it is not a big difference handling a slightly bigger rig in this situations. (I am 64 years old and not Arnie Schwarzenegger). But this is my point ot view. Different minds different thoughts. Br Markus

Well, ??????? dived Siren fleet 2006 with their first own designed/built boat together wit the owner in Andaman Islands/India. Again several times later on differnt destinations, last time Tubbataha with P. Siren in 2023. Loved their concept in the beginning. But the company has changed a lot. I also missed one trip in Timor with them due to loss of the liveaboard short before departure. As far as I know they lost all of their original boats except Palau Siren (which has already run aground in the past). From my point of view too many accidents with liveaboards these days. May be more liveaboards----more accidents. I do liveaboards since 1992 but current I'm feeling a bit unwell booking next trip. Br Markus

Hi, last time we did the Dauin Malapascua route on our 2023 philippines tour (Anilao, Coron,Tubbatah, Leyhte, Anda, Dauin, Malapascua). We did it by car and ferry. Very easy and confortable with our heavy dive and UW Camera equipment. Easily done in one day. We were not organized in advance and even miss the first early morning ferry from Negros to Cebu. After arrival Cebu island it took some time (arround 1.5h) to get a driver with car for transfer to Maya Port to Malapascua. We left Dauin arround 07.00 am and arrived Malapascua arround 05.00 pm. We paid 5000 Pesos for the car. If you organized in advance you should be able to do the trip in approx. 8 hours door to door. From my point of view no need for hotel, flight, etc. If you have some negotiation skills a car with driver is still very reasonable. We were diving Malapascua again (4th & last time) this spring and the car with driver from Cebu Port to Maya was 3200 Pesos. From Maya to Cebu airport we paid 2800 Pesos. Might be little more expensive at the moment due to fuel price increase worldwide. If you wanna see the treasures hurry up. There is a big underwater gopro circus going on at Kimbud Shoal. In April we had up to 28 boats anchoring. The ocean was bubbling. Guides told us in main season in may they have up to 50 boats (one full boat = 15-30 divers)☹️ +++++++the place is not big. Do not know how long the Treasher will play that game. Br Markus

Hi Michi, I bought my cerium oxide on an online platform called hood.de (similar to eBay), though that was a few years ago. I don't recall the brand name. However, during my research at the time, I found out that there are quality differences reflected in the color of the cerium oxide. Yellow and light cream-colored varieties are the purest and are used in the semiconductor and optical industries. Reddish-brown versions contain slightly more impurities and aren't as pure. These are primarily used in the glass industry for polishing glass. I have the reddish-brown type (see photo), and in my opinion, it yields very good results on the ports. Br Markus

Hi guys, Here is my "silly question" again. Can someone please explain the rationale behind applying the coating to the outer surface of a port? Does anyone have a technical or optical justification for this? I do not know the optical sense, but the problem with coating on outer surface is, that we clean/wipe the port after every dive. Even if we use the softest cloth available, we inevitably remove a little bit of the coating each time—however minuscule that amount may be. Unless there is some specific optical purpose for it... why put the coating on the outside of ports? However, I’m certainly open to being corrected if someone can offer a clear explanation for a reason for outer surface coating on ports. May be there is difference on super macro lenses due to optical setup. Hope someone can help. I use ceroxyd for years for my ports and my old macro wetlens and it works perfect. It removes watermarks and even tiny scraches without much effort. Also Seacam confirmed that optical coating is on the inside of the ports. Let me give you also two other example not UW related -first not from the field of optics- but still related to the loss of coatings. I had my car's paintwork treated with a very expensive ceramic coating (a very hard coating). After three years—and very few hand washes the coating was virtually gone due to the washing process and environmental exposure and it had to be reapplied. -second from my optician. I have glasses with expensive progressive lenses with hard coating for protection. My optician recommends to clean this one only with warm dishwashing liquid and use a supersoft close (no standard microfiber, no standard glasses cleaning cloths) to dry. He too, assured me that otherwise, the coating wouldn't last for a terribly long time. May be our UW camerahousing supplier have a superformula coating😁 Best regards, Markus

Hi guys, could someone please explain to me why a coating would be applied to the outer surface of a port? We all clean and dry our lenses after every dive. Even if we were to use a super-soft cloth, it still means we are compromising the coating. In my view, an AF coating only makes sense on the inner surface of the lens. But please—I'm open to being corrected. I use Ceroxid to polish all my glass ports and had never a problem. BR Markus

Hi, I first dived Tulamben and the Liberty in 1992. Tulamben did not really exist. There were only few huts and a "parking area". Last time time I dived there in 2024. In between, I visited and dived Tulamben various times. Things have changed significantly. But nowadays, that is not just a problem in Tulamben. Dived this spring Philippines for 5 weeks. Malapascua/Kimud Shoal and the treasures are a nightmare. We had 25 boats anchoring. Big party underwater and Gopro show with a lot of "nice models". I have never seen before so many divers on such a small place underwater. Guides told me they have up to 50 boats at high season in may. Sabang/Puerto Galera same. Bohol/Alona beach 600+ cylinder early morning on the beach waiting for divers. But I still know some places.......but they are becoming rare. Br Markus