Western & Central Pacific
PALAU: THE ART OF UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
Wide-angle, macro and wrecks in the beguiling Rock Islands
Dates: Friday 28th February - Tuesday 11th March 2014 (12 days)
Leader: Shannon Conway
Group Size Limit: 15 divers plus leader
Palau's walls are one of the many things that will delight the diving photographer (Shannon Conway)
The islands of Micronesia are rich in life, both on land and especially in the surrounding seas. Fertile volcanic soil, warm tropical sunshine and forest-clad islands filled with exotic flowers make for a memorable backdrop to your travels here. Some of the islands are edged with sandy beaches, others are so densely covered with rainforest that the trees reach the shoreline. Fringing mangrove swamps form nature’s own nurseries where most of the rich diversity of marine creatures start their hazardous lives in comparative safety before moving to the coral reefs or to the very deep waters that surround the islands. With some of the most exciting marine life in the world, it is no wonder that Micronesia’s diving is legendary!
The Republic of Palau (or Belau as it is known to its inhabitants) is the most western island group of Micronesia and is faunistically its richest part. The main town, on the island of Koror, is connected to the largest island, Babeldaob (or Babelthuap), by a bridge, while to the southwest is an archipelago of small islands, including the extraordinarily beautiful, strangely-shaped Rock Islands that emerge from the turquoise blue coral sea. The islands are thought to have been settled as long ago as 1000 BC, probably by people from what is now eastern Indonesia, but as with most places in Micronesia, Palau only really came to the attention of the outside world during World War II, when there were fierce battles for control of the heavily fortified southern islands of Angaur and Peleliu.
The southern part of Palau consists of an elongated atoll containing an archipelago of some 340 islands dotted across 400 square miles of ocean! Known as the ‘Rock Islands’, this maze of jungle-covered, mushroom-shaped outcrops is surrounded by a beautiful fringing reef offering seemingly endless drop-offs, coral gardens, caves, swim-throughs, blue holes, marine lakes and wartime wrecks. Inside the lagoon the glistening ocean hides a white and sandy sea bottom with areas of patch reef. Outside the lagoon is an encircling barrier reef where drop-offs fall vertically to 300 metres or more. Palau was voted number one in 8 out of 10 categories in a diving magazine poll – favourite drift dive, favourite wall dive, favourite photographic site... the list goes on and on! What draws divers to Palau from all over the world are the current-swept, southerly dive sites and the chance to mingle with vast schools of fish, large numbers of patrolling sharks, Manta Rays, turtles, impressive schools of jacks and visiting pelagics. Although Palau has a reputation for strong currents, more often than not the currents are quite gentle and many dives are slow drifts along the reef walls, giving divers and photographers the opportunity to study the vibrantly lively and fascinating scene that is played before them. But if you like excitement, there are several dive sites where, when the tide is running, the dive is a truly wild ride!
With the help of an experienced and acclaimed photographer at your shoulder, who can teach the secrets of producing stunning images, you will soon find that the ‘Art of Underwater Photography’ suddenly gets much easier. Shannon believes that there is no substitute for having your own workshop right on your doorstep so that you have the time to practice what you have learned and the opportunity to go back again and again to work towards achieving that perfect image. He will help you evaluate the range of underwater photography and computer equipment and programmes available and explain the many techniques, methods and styles of contemporary underwater photography. Shannon will be available to critique your work and suggest ideas for improving your images. He will present optional talks and workshops relating to the Art of Underwater Photography, sharing his approach and experiences with you.
Shannon Conway is a professional underwater photographer creating images for the advertising, editorial and fine art market. He has an energetic passion for his photography and the patience to capture the peak of the action. You’ll quickly understand how Shannon obtains such remarkable images time and again – he puts a great deal of effort, energy and research into every shot and he does not give up! Shannon is a popular leader and his enthusiasm is infectious.
Originating from Poole, on the Dorset coast of England, Shannon has always been fascinated by the ocean, spending most of his childhood summer holidays in Bournemouth with his grandparents, searching rock pools for marine creatures. Shannon and his wife Amanda moved to Fremantle, Western Australia, in 2006 in the search for crystal blue waters and sunny skies. After changing from a previous working life in IT, Shannon now focuses on his new career, sharing his passion by teaching underwater photography.
Shannon is a very successful underwater photographer, and has won a variety of awards from the Western Australian Underwater Photographic Society and the British Society of Underwater Photographers. He has also been awarded the top slot on many Photoquests and was the winner in the underwater category of the prestigious Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and Papua New Guinea Nature and Landscape Photographer of the Year award in 2007 and 2008.
An Art of Underwater Photography trip is not about how much you know, how much equipment you use or even how much experience you have. The trip is about making wonderful images, about achieving your potential and, ultimately, having a huge amount of fun. Being amongst a group of like-minded friends who are also keen and eager to improve their photography is a huge advantage over taking a trip with the general diving public.
Palau is one of the most diverse and photogenic destinations on the planet. Sheltered macro sites, plunging walls festooned in soft corals and sharks, Manta rays and large schools of fish mean that you’ll never be without an opportunity to hone your shooting skills on these subjects. A number of World War Two wrecks also lie in Palauan waters. What more could a photographer wish for?!
For details of Palau diving and Palau Siren please see the Palau section of our website.
Example Itinerary
Friday 28th February: Continental Micronesia late night flight from Manila bound for Koror.
Saturday 1st March: Very early morning arrival in Koror and transfer to a local hotel to catch up on some sleep before boarding Palau Siren.
Saturday 1st March – Tuesday 11th March: 10 nights on Palau Siren with up to 32 dives photographing the underwater wonders of Palau and the Rock Islands.
Tuesday 11th March: Day at leisure to explore Koror before a Continental Micronesia flight bound for Manila (subject to you final destination).
Important: The basic itinerary involves the shortest timeframe that can incorporate the cruise, but as the journey to Palau and back is a long one many people like to spend more than ten days there. It is possible to arrive in Palau before the start of the cruise and stay at one of the many local hotels (either with or without diving) and it is also possible to stay on after the cruise ends (again, either with or without diving).
For example, by arriving in Palau early in the morning of Wednesday 26th February you can avoid Guam and take advantage of the direct flight from Manila to Koror and enjoy a couple of days to acclimatize, test out your gear and dive or relax at a local hotel before joining Palau Siren on the Saturday. Longer stays on Palau can be arranged should you wish to extend your time in this fabulous location.
For details of Palau hotels please see the Palau section of our website. Please note that airport transfers will also be required as Palau Siren only provides transfers on cruise dates.
$4640 (provisional price, to be confirmed) (Koror/Koror)
Includes:
• Airport/hotel transfers in Koror.
• 10 nights cruise with full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) plus coffee, tea, fruit juice, soft drinks, fresh fruit and beer on a twin/share basis on Palau Siren.
• Up to 32 dives (including 5 night dives) on air or Nitrox, escorted land tours where appropriate. Should you wish, the cruise cost includes dive gear, including 3 mm shorty wetsuit, regulator, BCD and fins.
• Services of Shannon Conway as leader.
Please note: A marine park fee, currently €120 per person, is not included in the package price and will be collected on board
Please note: The cost of the pre-cruise Palau accommodation is not included. A number of hotels of varying levels of luxury are available and we will book these for you once flight schedules are confirmed approximately 10 months prior to departure.
Single Occupancy Supplement: If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin cabin with a fellow passenger you can avoid paying any supplement for the boat, but a supplement of $46 (provisional price, to be confirmed) will apply for the night in Koror on arrival. Cabin-mates will be allocated on a first-come first served basis. If you prefer to have a guaranteed cabin to yourself a $4178 (provisional price, to be confirmed) supplement applies.
Deposit: $500, followed by a further $1500 one year prior to the trip departure.