Where ever I go, I have some sort of a camera in my hand. There are many that make this same claim today, but there are far fewer that say that when they go in the water. How about when they go 70’ underwater…or more? Yep – that’s still me. Armed only with a full tank of air, a streamlined list of equipment on my body and camera rig that turns more than a head or two when I board, I visit another world with the goal of seeing what only a small percentage of our population ever experiences.
Standing on the back of a perfectly good boat and jumping into the wonders of the ocean below has been a favorite past time of mine for almost 25 years. Admittedly, when I first moved to Florida a few decades ago, I was not a fan of the state. It was not until I discovered the warm Caribbean waters that are less than a mile off the South Florida shores that I became mesmerized. Here, the world’s 3rd largest living reef thrives as the Gulf Stream brings a constant current of blue water and wonderful tropical fish to our very own backyard. While I enjoy the excitement and adventure of unique creatures in the watery wild, I still feel the need to bring back images to share with others. My camera rigs have evolved over the years, but my passion in this endeavor has never wavered.
A few days ago, my wife and I were able to enjoy a nice dive off of Pompano Beach on the reef “Razzle Dazzle”. The water was a bit green that day, but the visibility was good. Despite a bit of current, I was able to capture this Juvenile Gray Angel fish swimming around her coral home. The bold pattern and their naturally curious attitude makes this one of my favorite species. As she grows, she will retain much of her shape, but will trade in her striking black and yellow contrasting stripes for a more age-appropriate solid gray color. As an adult, she will, however, keep her flashy yellow color hidden on the inside of her pectoral fins as a reminder of her more youthful days on the reef.
Single Frame, Processed in LR and PS