Pacific photos

Spectacular pristine tropical reef, including dendronephthya soft corals, sarcophyton leather corals and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Sarcophyton soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias, Sarcophyton
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31309  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with gorgonian sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Black sun coral, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias, Tubastrea micrantha
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 31312  

Spectacular pristine tropical reef with vibrant colorful soft corals. Dendronephthya soft corals, crinoids, sea fan gorgonians and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Black sun coral, Crinoid feather star, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Crinoidea, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias, Tubastrea micrantha
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31313  

Spectacular display of pristine cabbage coral, Turbinaria reniformis, in Nigali Pass on Gao Island, Fiji.
Species: Cabbage coral, Tubinaria reniformis, Cabbage coral, Turbinaria reniformis
Location: Nigali Passage, Gau Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31314  

Colorful Dendronephthya soft corals and schooling Anthias fish on coral reef, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Black sun coral, Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias, Tubastrea micrantha
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31316  

Crinoid (feather star) extends its tentacles into ocean currents, on pristine south pacific coral reef, Fiji.
Species: Crinoid feather star, Crinoidea
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31317  

Dendronephthya soft corals and schooling Anthias fishes, feeding on plankton in strong ocean currents over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias
Location: Gau Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31318  

Dendronephthya soft corals and schooling Anthias fishes, feeding on plankton in strong ocean currents over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31319  

Spectacular pristine tropical reef with vibrant colorful soft corals. Dendronephthya soft corals, crinoids, sea fan gorgonians and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Crinoid feather star, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Crinoidea, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31320  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Sea fan, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Plexauridae, Pseudanthias
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31321  

Giant black sea bass, endangered species, reaching up to 8' in length and 500 lbs, amid giant kelp forest.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33354  

Sunlight streams through giant kelp forest. Giant kelp, the fastest growing plant on Earth, reaches from the rocky reef to the ocean's surface like a submarine forest.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33433  

Corynactis anemone polyp, a corallimorph, extends its arms into passing ocean currents to catch food.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33472  

Sea fan gorgonian and schooling Anthias on pristine and beautiful coral reef, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Gorgonian, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Wakaya Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31311  

Spectacularly colorful dendronephthya soft corals on South Pacific reef, reaching out into strong ocean currents to capture passing planktonic food, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 31322  

Magnificent frigatebird, adult male on nest, with throat pouch inflated, a courtship display to attract females.
Species: Magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens
Location: North Seymour Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 16725  

Garibaldi and golden gorgonian, with a underwater forest of giant kelp rising in the background, underwater.
Species: California golden gorgonian, Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, Muricea californica
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 23432  

Hammerhead sharks swim in a school underwater at Wolf Island in the Galapagos archipelago. The hammerheads eyes and other sensor organs are placed far apart on its wide head to give the shark greater ability to sense the location of prey.
Species: Scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini
Location: Wolf Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 16271  

A great white shark swims underwater through the ocean at Guadalupe Island.
Species: Great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 21348  

San Clemente Island aerial photo, Pyramid Head and Balanced Rock (China Hat) at the southern end of the island. San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, the distinctive pyramid shaped southern end of the island, exhibits distinctive geologic terracing, underwater reefs and giant kelp forests.
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38483  

Spectacular pristine tropical reef with vibrant colorful soft corals. Dendronephthya soft corals, crinoids, sea fan gorgonians and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Crinoid feather star, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Crinoidea, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 31310  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Makogai Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31453  

Anthias fishes school in strong currents over a Fijian coral reef, with various hard and soft corals, sea fans and anemones on display. Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34741  

California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 36466  

A mother California sea lion (left) and her pup (right), underwater at the Coronado Islands, Mexico. Mothers and pups spend much time together with the mother teaching her young padawan learner how to pursue prey. I spent a lot of time over 6 days watching this pair in Fall 2023.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 39960  

Colorful Dendronephthya soft coral and schooling Anthias fish on coral reef, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31349  

Adult male humpback whale singing, suspended motionless underwater. Only male humpbacks have been observed singing. All humpbacks in the North Pacific sing the same whale song each year, and the song changes slightly from one year to the next.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02796  

Humpback whales bubblenet feeding in Southeast Alaska. Coordinated bubble-net feeding is a specialized cooperative feeding technique used by humpback whales, where a group of whales works together to trap fish or krill in a net of bubbles then lunge through to feed.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 40920