Best of Mike #75

Today's pixture is a Red-Banded Coral Shrimp.

As you can see they are very colorful in a candy cane kind of way.

While plentiful on most of the reefs we dive, they are very fond of "under, behind and between".

So knowing they are there and making a good picture aren't always the same thing.

They are part of the family of "cleaners" that inhabit any reef.

Their job is to remove parasites, food particles and even dead tissue from the fish who visit their cleaning stations.

Like many things small on the reef, they will retreat into a crack, a crevice or under an overhang.... if you come charging into their world.

The waving of their long white antennae is the sign that their cleaning station is "open for business".

So, if you are slow and gentle with your approach and maybe leave your hand or finger sitting quietly on the bottom.... they will soon come out to see if it needs to be cleaned. 

Often, climbing right onto your finger or into your hand.

Best of Mike #74

This is most probably a Spotted Cleaner Shrimp.

I say "most probably" because there are a number of species so close in appearance that only examination under a microscope let's you know for sure.

The body is transparent, there are three or four white and tan saddle markings across the back, the legs and claws are banded with white, purple, red or lavender and there are two pairs of long white, hair like antennae with dark bands. Occasionally, you will even see them with a row of pinkish eggs attached to their belly.

They live in association with various anemones. Perched on the tentacles of the anemone, they sway their bodies and wave their antennae to attract the fish that they will clean.

Best of Mike #73

In my last post I had promised you Cayman Brac as our next stop ... but I was wrong.

That destination is upcoming but we have another stop to make in Bonaire before we get there.

We've been to Bonaire a lot, and for good reason.

The diving there is great.... especially if you are an underwater photographer, looking for lots of critters in current free settings.

This is one of my very favorite pixtures.

It's almost like it was posed specifically for the photograph, which of course it wasn't.

There is an Arrowcrab doing what they do inside a white Vase Sponge. Nicely framed by some black Corkscrew Anemone.

And if you look closely, the other orange shape behind the barrel of the vase sponge is a Brittle Star.

Best of Mike #72

I think I may have mentioned in previous posts, that on the last day of every trip we don't dive.

Always a good idea to get the excess nitrogen out of your body at a nice natural pace.

Processing the nitrogen out of your body too rapidly is what they call the "bends".

And going to altitude in an airplane, before you are completely "off-gassed" would be one way to get those very painful bends.

In Cozumel, part of our "day off" tradition has always been a trip to the windward side of the island.

I think there are dive providers who will take you to that side of the island. But once you are out from behind the island, you get the waves and the rolling, bouncing action that is so common to the ocean.

I am quite prone to motion sickness.... and barfing in your regulator, while doable, is just never fun.

So, we make that trip by car or moped.

We make our first stop at the corner where the road turns....  and enjoy a beer in the thatched roof bar.

And then, maybe even make a second stop for lunch farther along the coast.

That's it for Cozumel, for this trip. Next stop ... Cayman Brac.

Best of Mike #71

This pixture is a great, if subtle, example of what makes Cozumel diving so world class.

It's close and it's easy.

Almost all of the diving takes place in the lee of the island, so very seldom is the surface of the water anything other than flat calm.

And yet underneath.... that famous current is moving along with purpose.

It's that constant movement of water that keeps the reef healthy.... and attracts a wide variety of wild life.

It's the local practice of having the boat follow the divers.... that let's us enjoy a great ride along the current, with almost never a need to swim against or across it.

It's kind of like going to the movies.... except it's us, not the pictures, that are moving.

Best of Mike #70

This little guy is a Splendid Toadfish.... found only in the waters surrounding the island of Cozumel.

They are bottom dwellers which often makes for an easy photo subject.... but these guys like to burrow into the sand under the coral and are pretty shy about coming out where we can see them.

As you may know, Cozumel is famous for it's drift diving.

So a good pixture can be even more of a challenge.... as the current is always looking to move you along to the next adventure.

Being bottom dwellers, their eyes are on the top of their head and built for looking up, with almost no horizontal vision.

As you can see they have a pretty distinct striped pattern.

They also have a total of 8 fins.... 7 of which are outlined with the bright yellow that makes them a bit of a photographic prize.

Best of Mike #69

We made this trip to Cozumel, early in 2002. It was a family trip, including Korri.

Korri is now "10 teen" (that's how I'm supposed to say it) ... but at the time she was less than 2 yrs old.

So when the group went to swim with the dolphins, Gramps stayed ashore with Korri and his camera.... win/win.

Part of the adventure was kisses from the dolphins.

Here's our son Jason getting his.

He tells me that look on his face is the surprise of having two dolphins show up for kisses when there was only supposed to be one.

But I think maybe he just doesn't really appreciate dolphin kisses.... apparently they are pretty fishy.

Best of Mike #68

This is the trip that we made to Cozumel to complete Kelli's (our daughter-in-law) scuba certification.

I was still an active Instructor then, so I did her training and certification.

Which of course means that on most dives, I didn't have my camera with me. So, once again, underwater pixtures from Cozumel are in short supply.

One of the things that we did do on this trip was swim with dolphins at their sanctuary at Chankanaab National Park.

So, we will let this guy, be your greeter for this trip.

He is chattering a greeting, right now ...  and if you would step just a little closer to the edge of his pool, he would be happy to flip some water in your direction, so you know for sure that he sees you.

Best of Mike #67

This is the last pixture from our Los Roques trip.

In the foreground is the skiff that took us to and from dive sites.

While in the distance you are seeing our liveaboard.... the Antares Dancer.

By dive liveaboard standards it is pretty small, sleeping only 10 guests.

But that is by necessity, as all of Los Roques (a group of islands off the coast of Venezuela) is a marine preserve.

The number and size of all vessels in those waters is restricted and regulated.

We made this trip in October of 2001, in the very earliest and perhaps most fearful "post 9/11 days".

So, we didn't really notice the smallness of our boat.... as one of the consequences of that timing was there were only 5 guests on the boat for the whole trip.

Next stop ..... Cozumel.