Ben Cropp Heads
p. 59 · Read in the full issue
northwards
BEN CROPP, young Sydney skindiver who is busy making an international name for himself as a producer of fine under sea documentary films, will be going “home” to New Guinea in July. It will be his first visit since 1939, when he left Bougain ville at the age of three. Ben (left) was born in Buka, Bougain ville, the son of the Rev. A. H. Cropp, who was a Methodist Minister in New Guinea for 17 years. Mr. Cropp now lives in retirement on the North Coast of NSW. Young Ben is patron of the Madang Skindiving Club and he will visit the Madang district to film crocodiles, sharks and sunken wartime wrecks for his colour TV series. Later he will visit Buka to gather material for articles for an American magazine. The dramatic photo above was taken by Ben at Montague Island, NSW, and shows George Meyer riding a giant 35 ft whale shark.