Atlantic spotted dolphin, Olympic swimmer Mikako Kotani, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic spotted dolphin with Olympic swimmer Mikako Kotani, Bahamas. Stenella frontalis.

 Atlantic spotted dolphin and Olympic champion swimmer Matt Biondi, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic spotted dolphin with Olympic champion swimmer Matt Biondi, Bahamas. Stenella frontalis.

 A SCUBA diver swimming over a rocky reef covered with kelp, watches a brightly colored orange garibaldi fish, Hypsypops rubicundus, San Clemente Island

Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, San Clemente Island, California.
California sea lion and diver consider each other, underwater in the clear ocean water of Guadalupe Island, Zalophus californianus, Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe)

California sea lion, Guadalupe Island, Mexico, Zalophus californianus.

 Freediver photographing pelagic gelatinous zooplankton, adrift in the open ocean, Phacellophora camtschatica, San Diego, California

A freediving underwater photographer hovers above jellyfish Phacellophora camtschatica and salp chain Cyclosalpa affinis, drifting in the open ocean, San Diego, California.

 Ocean sunfish and photographer, open ocean, Mola mola, San Diego, California

Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and photographer, open ocean.
Ocean sunfish and freediving photographer, open ocean, Mola mola, San Diego, California

Enormous ocean sunfish and freediving photographer, open ocean. Mola mola.

 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Olympic swimmer Mikako Kotani, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic spotted dolphin with Olympic swimmer Mikako Kotani, Bahamas. Stenella frontalis.

 Blue shark and videographer, Prionace glauca, San Diego, California

Blue shark (Prionace glauca) and underwater videographer, open ocean, San Diego, California
North Pacific humpback whales, a mother and young calf swim near scientific research divers, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui

North Pacific humpback whales, a mother and young calf swim near scientific research divers. Megaptera novaeangliae.

 California sea lion with diver, Sea of Cortez, Zalophus californianus

California sea lion at Los Islotes, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.

 Whale shark, Rhincodon typus, Darwin Island

Whale shark, Rhincodon typus, Darwin Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.
California sea lion and diver, Sea of Cortez, Zalophus californianus

California sea lion and diver, Zalophus californianus, Sea of Cortez, Mexico.

 Manta ray and scuba diver, Manta birostris, San Benedicto Island (Islas Revillagigedos)

Manta ray and SCUBA diver, Manta birostris, Isla San Benedicto, Mexico.

 Manta ray and scuba diver, Manta birostris, San Benedicto Island (Islas Revillagigedos)

Magic carpet ride, San Benedicto, Mexico.
Ocean sunfish and photographer, open ocean, Mola mola, San Diego, California

Ocean sunfish and photographer, open ocean. Mola mola.

 Salp chain and diver, open ocean, Cyclosalpa affinis, San Diego, California

Colonial salp chain and diver, adrift in the open ocean. Cyclosalpa affinis.

 Manta ray and freediver, Manta birostris, San Benedicto Island (Islas Revillagigedos)

Manta ray and freediver, Manta birostris, Revillagigedos Islands, Mexico.
Diver and garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, Catalina Island

Garibaldi, Catalina Island

 Diver and garibaldi, Catalina, Hypsypops rubicundus, Catalina Island

Diver and garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, Catalina Island.

 Tiger shark and photographer Keith Grundy, Galeocerdo cuvier

Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) and underwater photographer, Bahamas.
Freediver photographing pelagic gelatinous zooplankton, adrift in the open ocean, Cyclosalpa affinis, San Diego, California

Freediver Photographing Pelagic Gelatinous Zooplankton, San Diego

 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Olympic swimmer Mikako Kotani, videographer Tom Fitz, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis, Olympic swimmer Mikako Kotani, underwater videographer Tom Fitz. Bahamas.

 North Pacific humpback whale, active group, research diver, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui

North Pacific humpback whale, active group, research diver, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui, Hawaii.
Manta ray and scuba diver, Manta birostris, San Benedicto Island (Islas Revillagigedos)

Giant Manta Ray, San Benedicto Island

 West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus, Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River, Florida

West Indian manatee, kiss, Trichechus manatus, Florida.

 West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus, Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River, Florida

West Indian Manatee, Three Sisters Springs
Diver and pelagic salp chain, open ocean, San Diego, California

Colonial salp chain and diver, adrift in the open ocean.

 Craig OConnor and his pending spearfishing world record North Pacific yellowtail (77.4 pounds), taken on a breathold dive with a band-power speargun near Abalone Point. Guadalupe Island is home to enormous yellowtail. The three most recent spearfishing world records for Northern yellowtail have been taken at Guadalupe. July 2004, Seriola lalandi, Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe)

North Pacific Yellowtail, Guadalupe Island, Mexico