This is another in a long series of diversion diaries, meant only to provide a brief respite from the struggles of the day and as a reminder that we share this small planet with some amazing creatures. This installment is pulled from a couple of days of diving off the west side of the island of Oahu. I hope you enjoy your visit.
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins
I am going to start with my most difficult photographic subject.
Commerson's Frogfish Antennarius commerson
There is actually a fish in this photo. This is one of the best camouflaged frogfish I have ever seen and makes it a real pain to take a photo that looks like anything. Frogfish are ambush predators that sit motionless while waggling their first dorsal fin like a fishing lure.
In the shot above the mouth and eye are on the right, the foot like pectoral fin in the bottom center-left and the tail on the upper left.
Here is a profile shot its face. Do you see the eye and mouth. I am ready to give up photographing this fish. It has been sitting in the same exact spot for the past two weeks.
A more photogenic subject that can always be found in the same small coral head on the wreck "the Mahi" follows.
Hawaiian Green Lionfish Dendrochirus barberi
This reddish brown specimen belies the common name.
Watch out for the venomous dorsal spines.
Desirable Nudibranch Flabellina exoptata
This tiny nudibranch is common on the Mahi probably due to the abundance of hydroids that make up its diet.
This little slug us armed with stinging capsules that it recycles from the hyroids that it eats. The scientific name exoptata means "much desired" for its beauty.
Spotted Eagle Rays Atobatus narinari
This large school of graceful rays is usually hanging around the Mahi. Always a beautiful sight.
Yellowmargin Moray Gymnothorax flavimarginatus with Banded Coral Shrimp Stenopus hispidus
I first dived the wreck "the Mahi" about sixteen years ago not long after moving to Hawaii. In the cable-laying wheel at the bow of the ship was a large yellowmargin moray with a badly damaged and healed jaw that the divemaster had named Bowser. The eel was quite tame and after the divemaster petted the nasty looking creature I reached out and stroked its side. I will never forget the velvety feel of its skin.
Imagine my surprise when I see Bowser sixteen years later, now hanging out near the stern of the wreck. I didn't realize that a fish could live that long but a little research showed that morays can live up to thirty years so I am positive this is the same animal. I am not about to reach out and pet him though. Well I would, after you go first.
There is another yellowmargin that lives in a vent pipe that sticks out the deck, does a u-turn and opens downward.
Stout Moray Gymnothorax eurostus
Whitemouth Moray Gymnothorax melagris
At another dive site we found this yellowmargin with a Clear Cleaner Shrimp Urocaridella antonbruunii on its snout.
Arc-Eye Hawkfish Paracirrhites arcatus
I am probably going to stop taking photos of these common little fish soon because it is just too easy. They are very good and cooperative models, sitting motionless in the tops of corals.
They are cute though huh?
Jeweled Anenome Crab Dardanus gemmatus
This hermit crab carries carry Calliactus polypus anenmomes on its shell. The anenome has extended pink stinging threads in this photo because we had distrubed it to get photos. The anenome always occurs associated with the crab. As you can see the crab has one large claw.
Blue Stripe Snapper or Ta'ape Lutjanus kasmira
These fish were introduced to Hawaii from the Marquesas in 1958 intended as food fish. They did not do well in the local fish markets and are now considered and invasive pest although research has not (yet) shown that they are displacing native species.
Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas
It is always great to see the calm and noble Honu.
I distrubed its sleep with the bright srobes.
Spinner Dolphins Stenella longirostris
The beautiful Naia spends its days near shore and heads out to sea to hunt at night.
This was an amazing encounter as these two dolphins let me swim with them for several minutes. I am still high from the encounter.
Feel free to treat this as a community photography diary and, as always, be good humans.
And if you have a problem with this diary I refer you to the COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT
Notes:
I am often asked questions about gear. All the underwater shots were taken with a Nikon D300 with a 60mm macro lens in a Sea & Sea Housing and two YS-100a strobe with the exception of the dolphins which were shot with a Nikon D300 and a 12-24 zoom in an AquaTech surf housing.