Scuba diving allows us to enter an ecosystem so different from what we’re accustomed to that it’s almost an alien world. And in fact, most sci-fi aliens and monsters are based off of real-life underwater creatures.
Dive travel allows us to explore new ecosystems (if we’re fortunately to live near diving) or to simply get in the water. We can dive with mantas in Hawaii, swim through vibrantly colored corals in the Indo-Pacific, hunt for cryptic sand-dwelling critters in the muck, spin with dolphins in the Red Sea, surround ourselves with sharks in Fiji and so much more. All these adventures await, and after meticulous planning and finally booking the trip, we often leave it there.
As an avid photographer, I try to always take it one step further and learn about the marine life we’ll be seeing on the dive. After all, the more we know about the animals, the more we’ll understand what we’re seeing and appreciate the experience to the fullest. Learning about the local reefs and their inhabitants also opens up many new photo opportunities. For example, I led a Bluewater Photo small group photo trip to photograph Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in Bimini, Bahamas. These resident spotted dolphins are known to be very friendly, whereas the bottlenose dolphins rarely hang out to interact with snorkelers. So when we found a playful pod of both spotted and bottlenose dolphins, I took full advantage of the opportunity to photograph the bottlenose dolphins, knowing it was a rare opportunity.
It’s also easy to study as you go. I learn so much by talking to dive guides because, after all, they know the reefs better than anyone else. And the more you become friends with your guide, the more they’ll explain about the subjects you enjoy and the more they’ll show you. By spending a few extra moments admiring a fish, you will start to notice things you never saw before. Is it guarding eggs? Is it defending its territory? Is it showing off in the hopes of attracting a mate? Is it feeding? The more we watch and observe, the more we absorb on each and every dive.
So with this said, be careful out there. The more we understand what’s happening on the reef, the more we want to be underwater. Luckily, scuba diving is a very healthy addiction!
