Can you see me now?

Under Watercolours installed the first webcam in the Fiji Islands at Castaway Island Resort many years ago and followed up with another one in Cozumel at Scuba Club Cozumel. Both webcams were instantly a huge hit, but it takes a strong, reliable, uninterrupted signal to serve up images every couple of seconds, which we don’t always have on remote islands. Now, everyone is so accustomed to checking the SCC webcam every day that when it does occasionally get stuck, the emails and phone calls start pouring in.

Fortunately at one of my workshops at SCC I recruited several of my students to help me add a bit of levity to the stressful minutes of webcam dysfunction. When the webcam goes down, this image goes up. I think it’s something everyone can relate to and it reminds people to chill out and smile. Hopefully you won’t have to see this image very often.

 

Giant Remora?

When processing images from a trip to the Bahanas, I discovered that I had captured an interesting perspective on a commensal relationship. The 12″ remora looks as big as the 6′ shark. All the result of a fisheye lens and perspective.

Invasion of the Aliens

I didn’t see their eerie little eyes peering back at me until after I shot the photo, uploaded it to my laptop and examined it in Photoshop. But why aren’t they smiling?

On the Yamagiri Maru shipwreck in Truk Lagoon there is still oil the seeps from the engine rooms of the ship that has been sunk for 68 years. The ship lays on its side, so when divers penetrate the hull of the wreck their bubbles dislodge the oil that has built-up, to find its way to the nearest hole and escape to the surface. Swim, little bubbles! You’re free!

My dive buddy noticed the oil bubbles while on a safety stop just above the hull of the wreck and pointed them out to me. Had I listened more closely to the dive briefing, I would have heard the part telling us to not hover directly over the oil bubbles, as they do get all over your dive gear, camera and in your hair.

Diving in Truk Lagoon should be on everyone’s bucket list. I’ve got my next photo excursion to Truk scheduled for Feb. 16-23, 2014 and you’re invited to join me. Of course we’ll be aboard the Odyssey, the ONLY way to see Truk Lagoon. Not only is February 17, 2014 the 70th anniversary of Operation Hailstone, but it’s my birthday too (not even close to 70th). For those of you who have traveled with me in the past, you know this will be an amazing celebration. Email me if you would like to join us.

Flying Spiders!

Another good reason to look around you for photo opps is that when you have your head buried in your viewfinder you might miss something important. When we visited the mud men in Mt. Hagen, Papua New Guinea, the performance was followed by a tour of their garden area. Just walk down that path through those bushes… Lucky this huge web of spiders was high enough above our heads that we weren’t at risk of disturbing them, or them us. Being a bit arachnophobic, I remember the feeling of wanting to throw-up.

Look up!

If you’re ever in Tacoma, Washington be sure to stop by the Museum of Glass. This shot was taken at the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot-long pedestrian overpass that links the Museum to downtown Tacoma and its cultural corridor.

Here’s a video about the artist, Dale Chihuly.