It's always kind of exciting to be see a Green Moray.
They are one of the bigger dudes that we run into down there on a regular basis.
But they are one of the things that looks quite cool underwater but.... very ordinary when you come home with their pixture.
Somehow the vibrancy of their green, the way their body ripples with muscle when they move and their size never seem to translate to the photo.
This particular one was laying down and looking so amazingly boring.... that I actually rotated the pixture, in Lightroom to try and give it some small amount of pazzazz.
Living and working amongst the tentacles of the Giant Anemone is a Spotted Cleaner Shrimp.
Their translucent bodies are decorated with bright colored spots.
To attract passing fish in need of a cleaning.
The Shrimp is immune to the stinging properties of the Anemone's tentacles.... and tolerated by the Anemone.
Because every once in a while.... that fish gets just a little too close and becomes a meal for the Anemone.
My grandson, Tristan, just looked over my shoulder, saw this picture.... and told me a story about spiders.
So I guess there is a pretty strong resemblance.
But somehow Arrowcrabs are.... considerably less creepy.
The coloring.... a nice golden color with the blue claws seems nicer than black.
The way they move, slow and gangly vs a skitter.... is so much nicer.
Maybe even bordering on stately.
Then there is their ability to put themselves in places with a pleasing background.
Put that all together, with the fact that they are so darn small.... that good focus is always a challenge.
And, you have the recipe for lots of pixtures.... in an attempt to get the perfect one.
Look .... up there in the water column.
It's a bird, it's a plane .... no it's a Hawksbill Turtle.
Still, after more than 700 dives.... a turtle can "make" my dive.
So clunky in their appearance.... and yet so graceful in their movements.
I don't often "shoot" up from below.... no real reason, just something that doesn't occur to me.
But this was Cozumel.... so we were drifting with the group from our boat when we came upon this guy.
I never wanting to be "that photographer" who bulls their way to the front.... just because there's a pixture to be taken.
So, by the time it got to be my turn, he was ready to be on his way to the surface for a breath.... and this was the only shot that was available to me.
But, I kind of like it.... and will look for more of these opportunities, in the future.
Look closely at his eye.
He may be heading to the surface in a leisurely and seemingly uninterested manner.... but he knows exactly where I am and what I am doing.
