79. WILD KINGDOM (TV Series USA and the world 1960s and beyond)

Very large Tiger shark, late afternoon, pursuaded Ralph Nelson to cancel our night dive - but only at the last minute with everyone suited up and ready for the dive.

This post in not complete. (Under construction)

Wild Kingdom was a long-running television series shown in many countries including Australia.  The team of three or four Americans would invite one or two local experts to join their proposed expedition.   These pictures are from the first of two expeditions myself (John Harding) was involved with.  My purpose was to pick up 16mm film shots which could be used as cut-a-ways.  It was a dual expedition - shark filming in The Coral Sea at Saumarez Reef.  Sea Snakes closer to shore in the remote Swain Reefs east of Gladstone.

Gold Coast diver and a co-owner of a former Gold Coast oceanarium,John Reynolds. John Reynolds was the Wild Kingdom Australian contact for these productions.  John chartered a local Gold Coast vessel for the risky travel a long distance travel offshore.  In 1971 weather forecasting was primitive and GPS was still a few years from being available.

A squall upon our arrival at Saumarez Reef was not a good sign.

The WWII Liberty ship 'USS Francis Preston Blair' was still sufficiently intact to allow us to explore the top deck.  Today the wreck has disintegrated into a pile of rusty metal.

Tom Allen was the young sidekick assistant for the host, Marlin Perkins.  Tom's resume at SSI Pro5000 is impressive.  UDT Navy Diver, stand-in on the Sea Hunt underwater series and son of Ross Allen who had an animal theme park in Florida.

I remember early travel footage in cinemas featuring Ross Allen 'wrestling' a huge python underwater in crystal conditions.  Dramatic footage in the 1950s.

Wild Kingdom's Sea Snake documentary (1971) 'Voyage to the Coral Sea'

Wild Kingdom's Coral Sea Night Dive documentary.

Both films feature John Reynolds (below) a Director of Marineland, Southport  Qld. (later taken over by Sea World).

A chance meeting with Sea Hunt in The Swain Reefs.  John Reynolds about to hop aboard and say hello to skipper Ron Isbell, an old friend from their spear fishing days.   Sea Hunt was to be chartered by WK for future expeditions.

Wild Kingdom brought a flimsy shark cage to Saumarez Reef.  Quite useless.

Olive sea snake in The Swain Reefs.  Dangerous species.

Deep night diving at Saumarez Reef, despite the presence of a large Tiger shark yet to be seen.

Stokesi sea snake - a large species.  Dangerous but sluggish too.

Dr. Marlin Perkins (centre)

John Reynolds (Marineland Australia) up front in the dinghy. 
Cameraman Ralph J. Nelson II (far right)

75. TERRITORIAL SHARK DISPLAY (Avon Isles, 1971)

Roy Bisson swim flippers record a hasty retreat.

Grey Reef shark (at the time commonly referred to as a Coral Sea Whaler shark by Ron Taylor and I) made repeated charges at us while being filmed by two cameras. 

Shark could have bitten except we concluded the intention was for us to leave the area.  Shark was defending reef territory.  

Most likely explanation was we were first free divers at Avon Isles (commonly referred to by myself is other publications as the Chesterfield Reefs (for simplicity in the 10-pages newspaper series documenting this voyage). 

TSMV Coralita had untaken this expedition to French Territory in The Coral Sea.  Months later Taylor's Innerspace TV series episode titled  Ruby Thatcheri detailed this expedition. as a search for a valueable and therefore rare sea shell known to exist in the region. 

                                       Volute thatcheri (centre)
 

Sea Frontiers magazine (publication of The International Oceanographic Foundation, Miami, USA) published the details in an article by myself.

Despite being injured by a non-lethal defensive spear attack by ny father JM Harding, the small shark persisted with territorial rushes or charges - filmed in 16mm.

Freediving with this shark were  R.Ibara Ph.D;  R.Bisson (Fathom magazine);  JM Harding (senior);  A.Murayama and myself.

TSMV Coralita.  79 feet. Twin engines. Four crew, 16 guests - later reduced to maximum 12 guests.  Launched in 1969.  Pioneered international guests for 10-day live-aboard scuba expeditions to The Coral Sea.  Bay Travel, See and Sea, La Mer Diving Expeditions and others including Fathom magazine (Australia).

Gannet has not seen many human visitors.

As the editor Fathom magazine

Ron and Val examine 35mm footage.

Captain-owner of TSMV Coralita, WG Muller in 1971