Best of Mike #137

From time to time people suggest that I could sell my photography.

One of the reasons I don't.... is that I am fearful that people "buy art" but just "admire photos".

I guess one of the reasons that I think that way is because.... that's what I do.

Well actually.... I admire it long enough to figure out if I can take that same pixture.

This shot is an example of just that.

We were on the Caymans Aggressor for this trip.

On a liveaboard.... one member of the staff is the official photographer.

He was showing some if his work on our first night aboard.... and in the slides he showed us was a picture of a large fish at a cleaning station.

The photographer had positioned himself in just the right manner to look right down the fishes throat and out the gills.... as it held it's mouth open to let the cleaner shrimp do their work.

As luck would have it.... 2 or 3 days later, as Linda and I made our way back to the boat on a late afternoon dive, we came upon this Strawberry Grouper at a cleaning station.

Because of the inspiration (that's what I call it when I copy) I had gotten from that other photographer's work.... I worked my way into a position to take this pixture.

Best of Mike #136

We were in the Caymans right after Hurricane Ivan.... in 2004.

There was a lot of damage at the surface.... I remember seeing miles and miles of Palm Trees all completely stripped of any and all fronds.

Just sticks now.... really tall sticks.

One evening the crew of the Caymans Aggressor, all of whom lived on the island, were telling us stories of the storm.

Apparently, there were a few minutes, when there was so much water on the island, with the rain and the storm surge.... that it completely disappeared from radar.

Below the surface there didn't seem to be a lot of damage.

There was sand on top of the coral.... and pretty much everything else. But other than that, I don't remember too much being broken.

This scene, seems to be indicative of that.... things a little topsy turvy and thrown where they didn't really belong.

Best of Mike #135

Not too far from the wreck of the Capt Keith Tibbets, lying on a totatly featureless sandy bottom.... we found this Starfish.

There are over 1800 species of Starfish (or Sea Stars) in the worlds oceans.

The majority of them have 5 arms extending from a central body disc.... but there are Starfish that grow as many as 15 arms.

Starfish don't move fast but they are all capable of locomotion.... using a hydraulic system to pump water thru their body which lets it to move in a wave like motion.

The ampulla (feet) on the underside of their arms are what they use to grip. They look like suction cups.... but it is actually chemicals secreted by the body that provide the gripping action.

Many, but not all, Starfish have the ability to "regenerate" the body parts that they lose.

We usually think of this as regrowing an arm, which they can do.... but there have been cases of the Starfish regrowing everything else from just the arm.

They are opportunistic feeders and are known to be both suspension feeders (filtering small particles from the water as is it passes by) and to prey on other species.... like mussels.

I have seen time lapse photography of them eating other species.... it seems to have a lot to do with climbing on top and then using the mouth that is located on the underside, to get their meal.

Best of Mike #134

One of the deck fittings on the MV Captain Keith Tibbets.... a well known wreck off the north shore of Cayman Brac.

Originally, the ship sat upright on the bottom with the stern in 40ft of water and the bow at 90ft.

But Hurricane Ivan (in 2004) broke it in half.... and laid the forward section over on it's port side.

Commissioned Destroyer #356, this Russian Brigadier Class Frigate was built in 1984 .... for the Cuban navy.

Cayman Brac bought this 330ft vessel, renamed it the Captain Keith Tibbets, in honor of a local dive operator .... and sunk it as an artificial reef in 1996.

Best of Mike #133

A group of Permit, swimming in a small school as they very often do.

The Permit is easily identified by it's "scythe like" dorsal fin.... that will sometimes protrude from the water when they are feeding in schools, near the surface.

They are most often found in shallow waters, over flats and sandy bottoms where they feed on crabs, shrimp and smaller fish.

When alone they will attempt to escape diver interaction.... but in schools they can become aggressive and can deliver a dangerous bite.

When you consider they can grow to be 48 inches long and weigh as much as 79 lbs, I'm saying.... lets avoid the bites.

Best of Mike #132

This patterned critter is a Flamingo Tongue snail.

Proving once again that the things we know as ugly, on land.... can be pretty underwater.

The colorful design you see (spots surrounded by a black outline), looks like it is on the is the shell.... but it is not.

This is in fact live tissue (the mantle) that covers a plain shell.

The mantle can be retracted to expose the bare shell.

But that usually happens only if the snail is attacked or when it dies.

Best of Mike #131

There is great beauty in the Grey Angelfish.... if you are open to subtle.

Their coloring, a soft brown to light grey, comes from the individual shadings of each scale.

Their fins, usually yellow and their eyes, blue.... add just a splash of color.

They are a solitary fish. Occasionally seen swimming in pairs.... but far more often they are alone.

It's just spooky how a fish can swivel it's eye and look right at you.... even when you are swimming behind or above them.

Best of Mike #130

I took this particular pixture very early in the morning (6:34am).... on a dawn dive.

It's a great time to dive.... as you are often in the water for the "shift change".

The nocturnal hunters are headed for home and their hidey hole.... while the day shift is coming awake and getting active.

I have always imagined that this Crab was on his way back into the hole that he calls home.... after a productive night of hunting.

This particular type of crab, is known by many names Channel Clinging Crab, King Crab and Stone Crab.

When I check my usual sources for factoids about this creature.... I find more is written about it's role as restaurant delicacy than it's life underwater.

Best of Mike #129

Finding an octopus is always exciting.

Finding one out of their hole and moving about the reef .... even more exciting.

It's clearly the mystique not the beauty.... that makes it so.

An Octopus moving along the reef, looks for all the world.... like a brightly colored plastic bag, blowing across a parking lot in the wind.