#scuba diving
A small group of us went out looking for whales one day out in Palau, far out from shore. We thought we’d seen signs of the whales, so a few of us jumped into the water and while we were looking around these Silky Sharks suddenly appeared out of nowhere (we were out in the bluewater, meaning that you couldn’t see the bottom or any structure or island around you). The Silky Sharks were attracted by our splashing and the sounds of the boat.
These types of sharks live out in the open ocean, well away from coastal waters and reefs. To survive in that barren environment, they need to be extremely fast, agile and able to sense and hunt prey from a great distance. I loved interacting with these beautiful and inquisitive sharks - photo taken offshore Palau, Western Pacific Ocean
Post link
The “Betty” Bomber is a Japanese Navy bomber that was a technological game-changer for Japan during WW2. This particular airplane was claimed by the Pacific over seventy years ago - photo taken at Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia
Post link
This huge school of Humpback Snapper that let me swim amongst them - photo taken at Meemu Atoll, Indian Ocean
Post link
The Coconut Octopus is one of very few animals on the planet known to seek out and make use of objects as tools, in this case a shell used as protection - photo taken at Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
Post link
The main difference between soft and hard corals is that hard corals produce and leave behind a rock-like skeleton as they grow, made of calcium carbonate - CaCO3 (the same substance that chalk and Tums is made out of).
It is these calcified skeletons that together make up the primary structure of a coral reef, which can eventually grow to the size of a mountain range. A good example is the Great Barrier Reef, which despite recent mass bleaching is still presently the largest living thing on Earth and is visible from space - photo taken at Foammulah Atoll, Indian Ocean
Post link
The Hooded Nudibranch (Melibe leonina) supposedly smells like fresh watermelon when taken out of the water. This alien-like sea slug can release its six petal-like cerata in the same way that a lizard can drop its tail when threatened.
Yes, that’s like dropping a trail of watermelon jolly ranchers when being chased - photo taken at Three Tree Point, Puget Sound, Washington
Post link
Marine ecosystems recycle everything and leave nothing to waste, including this Lion’s Mane Jellyfish that wandered too close to a sea anemone that grabbed ahold of it and wouldn’t let go. The sea urchins quickly got in on the action and it was soon over for this poor jelly, who never got to grow to full size.
Speaking of which, the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish is the largest known species of jellyfish in the world. The largest one ever recorded measured over 7 feet across at the bell and its tentacles stretched over 120 feet long, which is pretty incredible for a creature whose lifespan is only one year - photo taken at Salt Creek, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Salish Sea
Post link
Tangfish (that’s me!) photographing the shipwreck of the U.S.S. Kittiwake - photo taken by Sandy Sondrol at West Bay, Grand Cayman, Caribbean Sea
Post link
Sold my first image on Alamy ! I am way too happy about that, haha. I hope they enjoy the Bluecheek butterflyfish :D
Post link
This beautiful great hammerhead was one of the stars of my recent trip to Bimini! Despite their enormous size and power, they are incredibly cautious and can even be regarded as shy. Unlike the tiger sharks at Tiger Beach, these sharks are easily spooked by people not being calm, or even the ever-present, far smaller nurse sharks!
Post link
Can I ask for this dance?
There’s nothing quite like having a tiger shark swim just over your head!
Post link
Cancun offers an unimaginable world of underwater beauty and is one of the best places in the world for scuba diving. Cancun scuba diving is famous because of its shallow reefs alive with the dazzling colours of fish and coral.
With visibility ranging some days upward of 200 feet, this Caribbean wonderland deserves its reputation as a major scuba diving destination. The best Cancun diving is found off the shores of Cozumel, where crystal-clear, warm water houses thousands of incredibly beautiful tropical fish and other marine life.
Post link
Every year Austria’s Green lake undergoes a dramatic transformation. During the winter months, the lake is only around two metres deep, but when the ice melts and flows down from the nearby mountains in the summer, the water level rises to over ten metres. A popular park for hiking becomes a unique destination for divers.
Post link
