Looking down the back of a whale shark, the largest species of fish to ever exist on Earth. Photographed last month in the Raja Ampat region of Indonesian New Guinea.
Looking Down the Back of a Whale Shark
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Tag: Raja Ampat
Whale Sharks and Birds-of-Paradise
Marty’s photo of the day #4922: When Deb and I booked ten days sailing on the Katharina, the two main attractions were the possibilities of snorkeling with whale sharks and observing birds-of-paradise. We accomplished the whale shark snorkel early in the trip. The birds-of-paradise took more work. Twice, we went on sweltering rainforest hikes to […]
Early Morning Goodbye
Even though our ten days sailing the Raja Ampat on the Katharina was an unforgettable experience, one of the best things Deb and I did was extend our New Guinea visit by adding five days at the tiny two-cabin Raja Ampat Eco Lodge. There, the staff took great care of us, and we bonded with […]
Unrushed Snorkeling
During the past ten years, Deb and I have snorkeled in the Sea of Cortez, off the coast of Bonaire, off the coast of Belize, and in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea. Some were organized outings with other snorkelers, and others were on our own. One thing we’ve found is that we enjoy […]
Even Brighter
The colors of these two boring giant clams are even brighter than the one I featured for my photo of the day. Photographed last month in the Raja Ampat region of Indonesian New Guinea.
More Stunning Colors
Marty’s photo of the day #4921: More stunning colors from last month’s adventure in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea. This is a boring giant clam. You can see how it got its name. It bored right into the coral.
Freckled Goatfish
Marty’s photo of the day #4920: Look closely. Freckled goatfish hunt using their chin barbels to probe the sand for worms, crustaceans, and mollusks, and other prey. Photographed last month in the Raja Ampat region of Indonesian New Guinea.
Christmas Tree Worms on Christmas
Marty’s photo of the day #4919: See the orange fuzzy-looking things? They are Christmas tree worms! There are some blue and green ones too. Also in this photo are sea squirts and coral. Photographed last month in the Raja Ampat region of Indonesian New Guinea.
Distracted By Fish
I didn’t get a bluegirdled angelfish photo that was good enough to print or make my photo of the day, but I’m sharing it anyway, because I’m doing the final-final-final-final read-through of my latest novel, The Silver Squad Rides Again, and am easily distracted. Photographed last month in the Raja Ampat region of Indonesian New […]
Unbelievable Colors
Marty’s photo of the day #4917: I remember the first time I tried snorkeling. It was early in Deb’s and my marriage, and it didn’t go well. One thing I remember from my brief time in the water was all the incredible colors, brighter than I’d ever seen before. Now that I’m comfortable snorkeling, I […]
Here Come the Bottlenose Dolphins!
Here come the bottlenose dolphins! Deb and I swam with bottlenose dolphins last month. Getting up early, we took the dinghy from The Katharina to an area where the dolphins were known to hang out. For most of the time the dolphins were shy. They sank into the murky water and only surfaced when necessary […]
The Foxface Rabbitfish Challenge
Marty’s photo of the day #4916: I love the challenge of wildlife photography, whether it is on land or in the water. Even among all the colorful and unusual fish on the reefs of the Raja Ampat, foxface rabbitfish stand out. They weren’t a common sight, and when I saw them, they were frustrating to […]
Heading to the Dolphins
Heading out at sunrise to swim with bottlenose dolphins. Photographed last month in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea.
Pacific Bluetail Skink
Marty’s photo of the day #4915: This is a Pacific bluetail skink. Photographed last month in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea.
Just Like in the Book
Marty’s photo of the day #4914: This is an orange anemonefish (sometimes called an orange skunk anemonefish) with a Merten’s anemone. If you have access to “Reef Fish Identification: Tropical Pacific” look it up. The photo in that book is virtually identical to my photo taken last month in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New […]
Bat Island
Many of the smaller islands in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea are “bat islands.” I shot this series of photos as we approached one of those islands. It was teaming with flying foxes. Since we were returning from a stop at a waterfall, I only had my underwater camera with me. I would […]
Photographing the Moorish Idol
Marty’s photo of the day #4911: Moorish idols are plentiful in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea. Photographing them, however, was difficult, because they’d turn away at the last moment, and their mouths were often out of focus or lost in the shadows. It wasn’t until my last snorkel (roughly #30), that I captured […]
Sleeping Sea Krait
While in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea, I often explored crevices in the volcanic rock formations along the ocean shore. My usual finds were colorful crabs and lizards, but I also found this sea krait (a venomous snake with a paddle-shaped tail). Sea kraits must leave the water to digest their meals, so […]
Do Redfin Butterflyfish Glow?
Marty’s photo of the day #4910: For yesterday’s photo of the day, I featured a bluespotted grouper that produced the illusion of bioluminescence. Today’s photo is even more extreme. These redfin butterflyfish appeared to be bioluminescent near their pectoral fins. But again, it’s an illusion. Instead, they have fluorescent pigments in their skin that absorb […]
Bluespotted Groupers Change Colors
Marty’s photo of the day #4909: Many of the fish I observed in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea appeared to produce their own light. For most of those fish, including this bluespotted grouper, the bioluminescence was an illusion. Bluespotted groupers, however, can change colors for camouflage.