By John Tapley
Photos courtesy Larry McKenna

During a dive trip in Eastern Indonesia in 2005, Larry and Bonnie McKenna set out to capture footage of a Pacific leatherback turtle. After reaching a secluded beach via canoe, he encountered one of the majestic, endangered creatures first hand and experienced a spark of inspiration - he wished to see his new friend prosper.
Following a rigorous funding campaign, and largely thanks to the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA), Larry’s dream came to fruition through a special organization: Save Our Leatherbacks Operation (S.O.L.O.).
Completely fueled by the passion of volunteers and generous donations, S.O.L.O. is a certified IRS 501(c) (3) non-profit charity foundation and a registered Texas environmental non-profit corporation. The organization’s three-fold mission agenda is to educate the public about the Pacific leatherback turtle and its plight, join people together in a democratic fashion to illicit change, and reverse the population shift via a series of hands-on initiatives and projects at nesting beaches.

Climate change has had a substantial negative impact on ocean life and the Pacific leatherbacks are no exception. As Pacific temperatures raise and water levels heighten, the reptiles’ nesting grounds are barraged
By intense heat and overwhelmed by flooding; many nestlings perish before they can properly hatch. According to McKenna, the threat facing Pacific leatherback turtles has far-reaching, though not immediately apparent, consequences to the oceans’ food chain. As the turtles primarily predate on jellyfish, which consume fingerlings, their extinction would cause a massive, irreparable crash in an already fragile environment.

Of special importance are S.O.L.O.’s partnerships with indigenous people residing on various islands in the Pacific. Because S.O.L.O. can only accomplish so much with its allocated visitation time, the hard work and dedication of local associates is vital to maintaining the mission. S.O.L.O. volunteers work closely with native villages and help provide them with the tools, provisions, and education necessary
To facilitate change. Banding together with locals, the organization has implemented several enterprises such as daily and nightly beach patrols, construction of protective fencing and scaffolding installations, and crucial data collection processes.

One of S.O.L.O.’s keystone fundraising and groundwork projects, Turtle Discovery Tours, allows participants to
Get a firsthand experience at the operation’s efforts and also provides unforgettable leisurely pursuits. This year’s excursion, slated to begin September 6, will take place in the Indonesian provinces of Bali and East Java in an area magnanimously titled “The Island of the Gods”. The
11-day tour includes a diverse array of activities and accommodations such as diving, snorkeling, traditional ceremonies, and much more.

For more information on S.O.L.O.’s new Adventure, above, its future projects, volunteer opportunities, and further details on September’s tour, contact them at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aqua News: http://aquaviews.net/ocean-news/3-significant-giant-squid-sightings-history/#/ 

The legendary giant squid, once thought to be a myth, is an elusive creature that has captivated the imaginations of humans since we first set out on the sea. Mariners have reported sightings of the giant squid for hundreds of years, but the reports were often thought to be cases of misidentification or simply cautionary tales of the dangers of ocean travel.

These notions came to rest in the mid 16th century, when the first recorded specimen of giant squid washed ashore alive near a town in Denmark. Sightings of giant squid have picked up since then with improvements in research and technology, three of particular note which have taken place in the last decade.

via ocean.si.edu

On September 30, 2004, the giant squid was filmed in its natural habitat for the first time. A Japanese team, led by zoologist Tsunemi Kubodera, baited a line off the coast of the Ogasawara Islands of Japan. The team took multiple still photos of the squid showing its attack on the bait. This was the first time the squid’s hunting habits were caught on film.

First Live Giant Squid Video Emerges

In July of 2012, after continued research, Tsunemi Kubodera’s team became the first to obtain video of the giant squid in its natural habitat. As with the 2004 expedition, the team baited a line to entice the giant squid to come close enough for them to observe and film the squids hunting habits. The team witnessed the squid swimming against the current while holding on to the bait.

Largest Mediterranean Specimen Washes Ashore

via Wikipedia

The largest specimen ever found in the Mediterranean Sea was found on October 10, 2012 washed up on a beach in Andalucia, Spain. The specimen was dead when it was found, but was otherwise completely intact. Dissection of this squid in February of 2013 showed it to be thinner than the typical giant squid. This squid was preserved and displayed to the public.

Giant squid sightings have occurred since the beginning of maritime history, but the last 10 years have given scientists the most complete information about the giant squid to date. These giant squid sightings are certainly not going to be the last. As science searches for more information about the giant squid, sightings will become more plentiful. With more sightings, the legend of the giant squid will become more real than ever before

SCUBA Diveing Magazine http://www.scubadiving.com/photos/top-10-wreck-dives-north-carolina?pnid=331961 

1 — U-352 Without a doubt, one of the biggest draws to the Outer Banks is the opportunity to dive on this historic World War II German U-boat. On May 9, 1942, the U-352 was cruising close to the North Carolina coast in search of enemy targets when she picked a fight with the wrong ship. The scrappy USCG Cutter Icarus was on her game that day when the U-352 opened fired with torpedoes and missed. In retaliation, the Icarus launched depth charges and sunk the U-352 in 110 feet of water, 28 nautical miles south of Morehead City. Thirteen men perished in the attack while 33 survivors were picked up by the Icarus and retuned to Charleston where they spent the rest of the war as prisoners. Sitting with a 45-degree list to starboard and her conning tower intact, the U-352 fascinates divers and strikes at their imagination when they get a glimpse of a this amazing piece of WWII history.

2 — Papoose The wreck of the Papoose has a convoluted history since in actuality it is the wreck W.E. Hutton. During the early stages of WWII, German U-boats wreaked havoc along the Eastern seaboard sinking numerous Allied merchant ships. In the confusion, the wreck of the W.E. Hutton was misidentified by the United States Navy and thought to be the wreck of the Papoose. Even though this mystery has been solved, most still refer to the ‘Hutton’ as the Papoose. Sitting upside down in 120 feet of water, the 435-foot tanker is a favorite to many divers who come to see the plethora of marine life that includes the sand tiger sharks that are seen here with regularity. With the Papoose resting nearly 36 nautical miles from shore, its popularity is increased due to the clear waters of the Gulf Stream; 100 foot of visibility is not unheard of on the Papoose aka W.E. Hutton.

3 — USCG Cutter Spar Not all the wrecks of North Carolina met their end due to tragic events. The USCG Cutter Spar is one of the many wrecks sent to the bottom as part of the North Carolina artificial reef project. The 180-foot buoy tender sits in 110 feet of water with a strong list to port. It has become a very popular dive because it’s fully intact, easily navigable and a favorite hangout for sand tiger sharks, schools of Atlantic spadefish and the occasional giant southern stingray. Amazingly, the Spar was moved 200 feet from her original location and rolled over on her port side when Hurricane Irene struck the coast in August 2011. She weathered the storm intact, though — a tough little ship.

4 — USS Schurz The captured World War I German gunship, the USS Schurz, is a classic North Carolina wreck dive. The 255-foot ship was sunk June 21, 1918, 30 nautical miles south of Beaufort Inlet, after colliding with the SS Florida while sailing at night. When discovered in the 1980s it was a popular dive for those seeking to reclaim artifacts and take home a small piece of history. Brass portholes, crew personal effects and weapons were some of the many items removed. Today, it is illegal to take artifacts from the Schurz and most are content to see the beautiful reef system this wreck site has become. Colorful sea fans, abundant marine life, dense schools of baitfish and the occasional shark keep divers returning year after year to this treasure trove of a dive site.

5 — Caribsea One of my personal favorites, the wreck of the Caribsea is one of those hit and miss dive sites. Notorious for low visibility conditions as well as large schools of sand tiger sharks, this dive can be a top shelf experience when the blue water pushes in on rare days, exposing up to 100 sand tiger sharks in one spot. Sunk on March 11, 1942, by a German U-boat attack, this 251-foot freighter sits in 90 feet of water on the east side of Cape Lookout Shoals. Scientists believe the sand tiger sharks gather here during the summer months to mate.

6 — Aeolus The Aeolus is another one of North Carolina’s popular wrecks that was sunk as part of the artificial reef program and only a few hundred feet from the wreck of the Spar. This 400-foot wreck sits in 110 feet of water and was split in two during a powerful hurricane that swept through the region in the 1990s. During the 2012 dive season, the Aeolus became home to approximately a dozen sand tiger sharks that took up residence inside the wreck. Divers returned day after day to swim right amongst the sharks in what became known as ‘Club Aeolus,’ North Carolina’s coolest shark lounge.

7 — Proteous No top ten list for North Carolina would be complete without including this gem of a wreck. The 390-foot luxury steam liner, Proteous sunk on August 19, 1918, in a collision with the SS Cushing approximately 20 nautical miles south of Cape Hatteras. Mostly a low-lying debris field, with the exception of the prominent stern and propeller, she was popular dive for artifact hunters during the 80s and 90s. Today, it is a hot spot for shark sightings, vast numbers of grouper and big pelagic life, such as African Pompano, giant amberjacks and barracudas. The added feature of the regular appearance of clear warm Gulf Stream water makes it an impressive dive.

8— Atlas Another victim of a German U-boat attack, the 430-foot Atlas tanker was sunk on April 9, 1942, only a few miles from the wreck of the Caribsea in 115 feet of water. Like the Caribsea, the visibility on the Atlas can sometimes be less than 20 feet, but when the blue water rolls in this wreck site is a showstopper. Enormous sand tiger sharks at a whopping 10 feet in length can be seen patrolling the wreck by the dozen. The marine life is thick on this wreck and an opportunity to dive it should not be missed.

9 — USS Indra The wreck of the USS Indra has many humorous aliases, such as the Indra Maru after the famed Japanese wrecks of Truk Lagoon, or the Indra Doria after the Mount Everest of wreck dives, the Andrea Doria. This 330-foot landing craft was sunk in 60 feet of water only 10 miles from Beaufort Inlet as part of the North Carolina artificial reef program. Since the 1990s she has been visited by more divers probably then any other wreck off the Outer Banks. Because she is partially intact, sitting upright and within close proximity to Morehead City, she attracts both novice and advanced divers, alike. Whatever you call the ”Indra,” she is a legendary wreck site in her own right.

10 — Naeco On March 23, 1942, the 411-foot Naeco went down in a fiery mess at the hands of yet another German U-boat attack in World War II. Today, the ship sits in two distinct pieces about a mile apart some 38 nautical miles due south of Morehead City. This wreck, which sits in an average of 140 feet, is as far offshore as dive boats will venture. With clear, warm Gulf Stream water being the standard conditions here, it appeals to those divers who don’t mind the deeper depths.