On Mon, 2 Oct 2000 22:48:12 -0400, Krazy Kiwi <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Our Leeuwin Current is flowing so strongly tha tit has raised sea levels

A careful reading that I am <BWG>, I can't help but picture some gigantic
tit in a Woody Allen movie ... until you spoiled it. :-)

Thanks for a SCUBA post for some realty check.  :)

>>Some of the benefits of this warmer water are:
>* an expected boom for commercial fisheries, especially the rock lobster
>business
>* significant change in the tropical fauna
>* coral reefs increasing in size & diversity

* not to mention it's easier to remove a lycra skin or bikini bottom
  than removing a thick wetsuit ... at 60 fsw ... when nature makes
  an urgent call.  :-)  I won't repeat the story of an "advanced skill"
  I performed (removing a skin UW, in current, when an urgent call
  for number 2).

>During our last fishcount survey at Parker Point we noticed a spectacular
>increase in tropical fish settling in this study area. An increase of 50
>per month several years ago to well over 2000 a month now. The curator of
>fishes at the WA Museum believes that if the trend of the past couple of
>years continues in 50 years time the coral reefs around Rottnest could be
>almost as diverse as those of the Abrolhos Islands off Geraldton.

The past decade or so had some really severe cases of El Nin~o and El
Nin~a, and in increasing frequencies, that I think the effect being
observed is just part of this global pertubation -- hopefull for the
better for scuba divers, in the LONG RUN!


>Fingers crossed our inter-tidal zone doesnt cool down. While many of these
>tropical fish species can tolerate the harsher conditions & are better
>suited for survival in the more temperate conditions around Rottnest Island
>I dont think I AM, especially during our winter season ;-)

Don't people dive with bikini or naked in ice water, suitably trained?  :-)

>Viv

-- Bob.