August 2021 / Week 3

Dark Mantis Shrimp

Due to health issues, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted a POTW – but I’M BACK BABY!!!  I had been dry docked for about a month and on my first dive back, David found this Mantis Shrimp at Invisibles in Bonaire. He stood guard as I was shooting something else at the time and David was afraid the opportunity would be lost. When I finally came around, the mantis shrimp seemed as curious as I was. It would scurry away into its hole, but then come out again after a short period of time allowing me to fire off a few shots. This routine repeated itself for about 10 minutes and I was happy with the results.

Equipment and settings: Nikon D850 / INON z330 strobes / 60mm / f11 / 1/160th / ISO 160.  
Location: Invisibles, Bonaire

Other winners…

May 2021 / Week 2

May 2021 / Week 2

While diving Oil Slick Leap, David came across what he thought were 2 post larval juvenile Smooth Trunkfish. As I started shooting, I found there were actually a total of four juvenile Trunkfish which is a rare find indeed (at least for us). These fish are so small...

May 2021 / Week 1

May 2021 / Week 1

After 6 weeks in lockdown in Curacao, David and I relocated 2 weeks early to Bonaire in order to get back in the water. With only a few dives this week, I had a limited opportunity to capture images for POTW consideration, but fortunately I was lucky enough to have...

…On Lockdown in Curacao

…On Lockdown in Curacao

It's been over a year now since we sold our home, gave away most of our belongings and started living a "gypsy lifestyle". Events have not gone as originally planned, but we are actually grateful they have not. We have visited beautiful islands we most likely would...

March 2021 / Week 2

March 2021 / Week 2

This week's POTW is a macro view of a cup coral captured under the pier at Tugboat Beach. We typically don't see cup coral at any other sites in Curacao, but they can be found in abundance under the pier. The pier is a wonderland of marine life - the sponges and...

March 2021 / Week 1

March 2021 / Week 1

Spotted Drumfish are hard to resist for an underwater photographer. They are typically shy fish, found under coral heads swimming endlessly in circles and "figure eights", making their movements very predictable. In addition, the Spotted Drumfish go through very...

February 2021 / Week 3

February 2021 / Week 3

This week's winner was shot at Playa Piskado, which is my favorite dive site on Curacao. David and I always seem to run across something new here or we see old favorites. Our last dive started by seeing a group of squid, followed by turtles swimming towards and around...

February 2021 / Week 2

February 2021 / Week 2

This week's Photo of the Week is a school of Glassy Sweepers. I selected this photo because of the technical and timing challenges photographing these fish. They are extremely reflective, so trying to get the strobe lighting correct along with the shutter / aperture /...

February 2021 / Week 1

February 2021 / Week 1

This was another tough week for judging the POTW. Again it came down to two photos and again yours truly served as the tie breaker. The subject for the two photos under consideration were the same. It was a couple of Yellow Head Wrasse engaging in either aggressive or...

January 2021 / Week 4

January 2021 / Week 4

It was very difficult to choose this week's POTW winner. In fact, there was a split decision amongst the judges - however since I am the photographer and the author of this post, I am also tie breaker. I love cephalopods, and this octopus was extremely playful. In...

January 2021 / Week 3

January 2021 / Week 3

For this week's POTW, I had a limited number of photos to choose from. After an eight day surface interval due to a severe sore throat, I was finally able to get in the water yesterday and fire off some shots. Awwww - it felt so good. The fish in this photo is a...

January 2021 / Week 2

January 2021 / Week 2

This week's photo of the week is a juvenile Slender Filefish. I spotted two of these filefish in a gorgonian soft coral. The one in the photo is approximately 1 1/2 inches in length and was doing a phenomenal job evading my camera lens. The fish were very tricky to...

January 2021 / Week 1

January 2021 / Week 1

It's been a rainy January here in Curacao. It's my theory that the universe is trying to cleanse itself of the stench that was brought on by the year 2020. Happily 2021 brought on many changes and provided new diving adventures. Daan, of Rebel Diving introduced David...

December 2020 / Week 4

December 2020 / Week 4

This is the last Photo of the Week for 2020 and I feel lucky I shot it. I had a limited selection of photos as I as sidelined for most of the week - out with a mysterious sore throat and cough (but thankfully not Covid as we took a day out to get tested). Anyway, once...

December 2020 / Week 3

December 2020 / Week 3

I got one shot of this Flying Gurnard before it swam away, so I feel very lucky that the image turned out as well as it did. The fins/wings are spread perfectly, no body parts are cut off and the angle is very pleasing. It is not the best shot technically, but so far...

December 2020 / Week 2

December 2020 / Week 2

I found this Spotted Cleaner Shrimp on a Giant Anemone while diving the Ocean Encounters house reef. I noticed it right away due to its size and activity. The surge had picked up and the arms of the anemone the shrimp was planted on were all over the place. The shrimp...

December 2020 / Week 1

December 2020 / Week 1

Most divers know to look out for the Scorpionfish. They are often difficult to spot because they blend in so well with their environment. Because they blend in so well with their surroundings, it can be difficult to get a photo where you are able to separate the fish...

November 2020 / Week 5

November 2020 / Week 5

A Chain Moray Eel and Spotted Moray Eel are together peeking out from under the cement block at Tres Trapi. I spotted these two together at another area under the block, but the Spotted Moray made it clear the Chain Moray was not welcome. The Chain Moray found another...

Aruba: Best of Shore Dives

Aruba: Best of Shore Dives

Although Aruba is not known for its shore diving, David and I found some great sites for shore diving and were not disappointed with the marine life that we encountered. Hands down or favorite site is Tres Trapi (or 3 Steps). With a maximum depth of 20 feet, you...