Diving

Back in the water again at Koloa Landing where the conditions were the clearest vis I can remember and the turtle activity was intense. Air temps however were on the cool side, it was downright chilly during the surface interval! 🐢🐢🤿 Back in the water again at Koloa Landing where the conditions were the clearest vis I can remember and the turtle activity was intense. Air temps however were...

1 Back in the water again at Koloa Landing where the conditions were the clearest vis I can remember and the turtle activity was intense. Air temps however were…

2 Back in the water again at Koloa Landing where the conditions were the clearest vis I can remember and the turtle activity was intense. Air temps however were…

3 Back in the water again at Koloa Landing where the conditions were the clearest vis I can remember and the turtle activity was intense. Air temps however were…

Surgeonfish are frequent sea turtle companions, cleaning the turtle by feeding off its accumulated algae. 🐢🐢 Surgeonfish are frequent sea turtle companions, cleaning the turtle by feeding off its accumulated algae. 🐢🐢

4 Surgeonfish are frequent sea turtle companions, cleaning the turtle by feeding off its accumulated algae. 🐢🐢

A school of Yellowfin Goatfish, with a few Bluestripe Snapper that snuck into the herd at the bottom right. A school of Yellowfin Goatfish, with a few Bluestripe Snapper that snuck into the herd at the bottom right.

5 A school of Yellowfin Goatfish, with a few Bluestripe Snapper that snuck into the herd at the bottom right.

6 The Triton's Trumpet is one of the largest species of sea snail, this guy was about 18" long 🐌🐚

As my eyes have gotten older 🔍👀 I have a harder time getting my macro shots in frame and in focus, so I was pretty happy to snag this close-up of a Blue Dragon nudibranch who was more purple than actually blue. They are so-called because of their resemblance to long frilly Chinese dragons 🐉 The next step for me is to start using an angled viewfinder for my underwater photography instead of relying on my camera's rear LCD screen. As my eyes have gotten older 🔍👀 I have a harder time getting my macro shots in frame and in focus, so I was pretty happy to snag this close-up of a Blue...

7 As my eyes have gotten older 🔍👀 I have a harder time getting my macro shots in frame and in focus, so I was pretty happy to snag this close-up of a Blue…

Leaf Scorpionfish usually tuck themselves pretty well inside coral heads, but this one was right out in the open for its beauty shot 🍃🦂🐟 Leaf Scorpionfish usually tuck themselves pretty well inside coral heads, but this one was right out in the open for its beauty shot 🍃🦂🐟

8 Leaf Scorpionfish usually tuck themselves pretty well inside coral heads, but this one was right out in the open for its beauty shot 🍃🦂🐟

9 Leaf Scorpionfish usually tuck themselves pretty well inside coral heads, but this one was right out in the open for its beauty shot 🍃🦂🐟

KoloaLanding20230126-026 The Banded Sea Urchin is definitely look but don't touch 🪡🤕 Even a wetsuit provides no protection against their spines which will pierce it like a hot knife...

10 The Banded Sea Urchin is definitely look but don't touch 🪡🤕 Even a wetsuit provides no protection against their spines which will pierce it like a hot knife…

Devil Scorpionfish doing his best to look like a rock 👿🦂🐟 Devil Scorpionfish doing his best to look like a rock 👿🦂🐟

11 Devil Scorpionfish doing his best to look like a rock 👿🦂🐟

The Spanish Dancer nudibranch lays millions of eggs in a wide spiral ribbon that it affixes to a solid surface, looking like an underwater rose 🌹 The eggs are laced with toxins to deter any predators who might consider them to be a tasty treat before they have a chance to hatch. The Spanish Dancer nudibranch lays millions of eggs in a wide spiral ribbon that it affixes to a solid surface, looking like an underwater rose 🌹 The eggs are...

12 The Spanish Dancer nudibranch lays millions of eggs in a wide spiral ribbon that it affixes to a solid surface, looking like an underwater rose 🌹 The eggs are…

I was 1:1 with Jeanette Auber, the owner of Fathom Five Divers, who I hadn't had the pleasure of diving with in probably 6-7 years. As we were suiting up she asked me what I wanted to find. I said that in all my dives last year, I had curiously not seen a single Frogfish. Well, half-way through our first dive, we found this large well-disguised Commerson's Frogfish propped under a head of coral. Mission accomplished! 🐸🐟 I was 1:1 with Jeanette Auber, the owner of Fathom Five Divers, who I hadn't had the pleasure of diving with in probably 6-7 years. As we were suiting up she...

13 I was 1:1 with Jeanette Auber, the owner of Fathom Five Divers, who I hadn't had the pleasure of diving with in probably 6-7 years. As we were suiting up she…

Schools of Bluestripe Snapper, or Ta'ape in Hawaiian, abound in Hawaii, here at Koloa Landing. Now considered an invasive species and a pest because they outcompete local fishes and fetch low market prices, they were originally introduced in the 1950's by Hawaii's Division of Fish and Game to fill a perceived vacant niche in the commercial food chain. Although they are tasty, the demand remains virtually non-existent because of the invasive stigma attached to them. Schools of Bluestripe Snapper, or Ta'ape in Hawaiian, abound in Hawaii, here at Koloa Landing. Now considered an invasive species and a pest because they...

14 Schools of Bluestripe Snapper, or Ta'ape in Hawaiian, abound in Hawaii, here at Koloa Landing. Now considered an invasive species and a pest because they…

Koloa Landing has been swarming with schools of Akule, the Hawaiian name for Bigeye Scad and a relative of the mackerel family. Relatively small at less than 2 ft., it's a popular fish that the locals catch with throw nets and deep fry. 🐟🐟🐟 Koloa Landing has been swarming with schools of Akule, the Hawaiian name for Bigeye Scad and a relative of the mackerel family. Relatively small at less than 2...

15 Koloa Landing has been swarming with schools of Akule, the Hawaiian name for Bigeye Scad and a relative of the mackerel family. Relatively small at less than 2…

This Trumpetfish likes to toot its own horn 🎺🐟 This Trumpetfish likes to toot its own horn 🎺🐟

16 This Trumpetfish likes to toot its own horn 🎺🐟

Trumpetfish 🎺🐟 are frequently seen hovering vertically almost motionless in the water column as a way to fool their prey into thinking they're a piece of branching coral or a gorgonian. It doesn't fool me, but then again I was once told that I have a slightly higher IQ than the average crustacean 🦐🧠 Trumpetfish 🎺🐟 are frequently seen hovering vertically almost motionless in the water column as a way to fool their prey into thinking they're a piece of...

17 Trumpetfish 🎺🐟 are frequently seen hovering vertically almost motionless in the water column as a way to fool their prey into thinking they're a piece of…

Second day of diving at Koloa Landing and there are even more sea turtles 🐢🐢🐢 No matter which way I pointed the camera, I was bound to get at least 1 or 2 in the frame. Second day of diving at Koloa Landing and there are even more sea turtles 🐢🐢🐢 No matter which way I pointed the camera, I was bound to get at least 1 or 2 in...

18 Second day of diving at Koloa Landing and there are even more sea turtles 🐢🐢🐢 No matter which way I pointed the camera, I was bound to get at least 1 or 2 in…

Resting on the bottom 🐢 Resting on the bottom 🐢

19 Resting on the bottom 🐢

20 Second day of diving at Koloa Landing and there are even more sea turtles 🐢🐢🐢 No matter which way I pointed the camera, I was bound to get at least 1 or 2 in…

Kauai