Marine Life

Finding Leafy Sea Dragons at Rapid Bay Jetty, South Australia

While cruising around South Australia and Kangaroo Island, we stopped at a couple jetties. I think of a jetty as a breakwater formed of large bolders or rocks, but in Australia a jetty can be a wharf or pier. The jetties we visited are both famous for hosting a wide…

adminFebruary 22, 2024

Marine Life Sea Lion

Killer Whales (Orca) attacking California Sea Lion

I saw Wild Kingdom in action yesterday: killer whales preying upon California sea lions. Classified as Biggs transient orcas, these individuals are well known (CA51) for terrorizing other marine mammals along the Southern California coast. "Biggs transients" are one of four distinct populations (some insist they are species) of killer…

adminFebruary 9, 2015

Galapagos Diaries Marine Life Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Sea Turtle, Galapagos, Black and White

I have made a lot of dives in the Galapagos Islands, and one of my favorite creatures to see underwater is the sea turtle. The ungainly-looking animals are actually quite hydrodynamic and can navigate the surge, currents and waves to graze on algae along the reef. These two turtles were…

adminJanuary 25, 2014

Marine Life Mexico Sea of Cortez Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Panamic Green Moray Eel

Photo of Panamic Green Moray Eel, Gymnothorax castaneus While I was in Mexico's beautiful Sea of Cortez doing some diving last November, I spent time photographing the Panamic Green Moray eels (Gymnothorax castaneus). These eels are quite common, often found underneath large boulders and overhangs. They are typically content to…

adminFebruary 15, 2012

Marine Life San Clemente Island Sharks

Leopard Shark Photos, Triakis semifasciata

Stock photographs of leopard sharks, Triakis semifasciata. I've been diving in the kelp forest for about 20 years, yet have never been able to get a decent photo of a leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) in the wild. I've seen them many times, but never had a good opportunity for a…

adminJune 3, 2010

Marine Life San Clemente Island

Red Gorgonian, Lophogorgia chilensis

The Red gorgonian (Lophogorgia chilensis) is my favorite species of sea fan. I got some nice shots of red gorgonians at San Clemente Island a few weeks ago. Like the golden gorgonion alongside which it is commonly found, the elegant red gorgonian is a colonial invertebrate that grows on rocky…

adminNovember 30, 2009

California Catalina Marine Life Underwater Photography

California Golden Gorgonian, Muricea californica

The California golden gorgonian (Muricea californica) is a common gorgonian species in southern California. It is typically found growing on rocky reefs from 40' to 200' deep. The California golden gorgonian is a colonial organism composed of thousands of individual polyps, each of which secretes calcium to form the structure…

adminNovember 28, 2009

Galapagos Diaries Marine Life

Marine Iguana, Galapagos

Skip found a marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) foraging on algae while we were freediving along the edge of Bartolome Island, and I got a shot of it, the only one I've ever seen in the Galapagos Islands underwater: Marine iguana, underwater, forages for green algae that grows on the lava…

adminMarch 5, 2009

Galapagos Diaries Marine Life

Bigeye Jacks, Galapagos

On our 2006 trip to the Galapagos Islands, we had some very good diving at Darwin Island: hammerheads, silky sharks and spotted eagle rays galore on the shoulder of the reef, with more than a few Galapagos fur seals, turtles and various schools of fish closer to shore. At the…

adminMarch 4, 2009

Galapagos Diaries Marine Life

Schooling Fish, Galapagos

On our 1998 trip, Tracy and I bumped into these schooling snappers while diving at Albany, one of the better dive sites in the central Galapagos Islands. Schooling fish, Albany.Image ID: 02032Location: James Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador See more schooling fish photos and Galapagos Islands photos.

adminMarch 2, 2009

Guadalupe Island Marine Life Mexico

Photo of Cortez Chub

Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe) straddles both tropical and temperate fish ranges and offers a unique mix of species to see. It is not uncommon to see Panamic fanged blennies and red-tailed triggerfish alongside blacksmith and garibaldi. Shown here is a small school of Cortez chub (Kyphosus elegans) that was stationed…

adminJune 20, 2007

Alaska Kenai Fjords Marine Life

Sea Otter Photo

This sea otter (Enhydra lutris), was photographed in Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska: Sea otter.Image ID: 16940Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutrisLocation: Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA Keywords: sea otter photos, Enhydra lutris

adminSeptember 19, 2006

Invertebrate Marine Life Underwater Life

Photo of a Corynactis Anemone

The Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific recently arranged to use one of our photographs of the tiny Corynactis californica anemone for a huge wall mural, to be hung in the coming month. It reminded me of how cool these small creatures are, and how many times I have hunkered…

adminApril 17, 2006

Environmental Problems Humpback Whale Marine Life Ocean Sunfish

Photos of Boat Strikes of Marine Animals

Boat strikes of marine animals are increasingly common, for obvious reasons. It is disappointing to observe a marine animal severely or mortally wounded by a collision with a boat. We have encountered several marine animals bearing unmistakable boat propeller scars: North Pacific humpback whale showing extensive scarring, almost certainly from…

adminMarch 8, 2005

California Fish Marine Life Underwater Life

Photo of California Sheephead Wrasse

The California sheephead wrasse, Semicossyphus pulcher, is an interesting fish. It begins its life as a female and remains so until adulthood. When the region's dominant adult male dies or leaves then switcheroo! one of the remaining adult females will switch genders to assume the role of dominant male of…

adminFebruary 13, 2005

Florida Manatee Marine Life Underwater Life

Photo of West Indian Manatee, Crystal River, Florida

A West Indian manatee, also known as a Florida manatee, at the Three Sisters Springs on the Crystal River, Florida. A Florida manatee, or West Indian Manatee, swims slowly through the clear waters of Crystal River. Image ID: 02696 Species: West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus Location: Three Sisters Springs, Crystal…

adminFebruary 1, 2005

Finding Leafy Sea Dragons at Rapid Bay Jetty, South Australia

Killer Whales (Orca) attacking California Sea Lion

Sea Turtle, Galapagos, Black and White

Panamic Green Moray Eel

Leopard Shark Photos, Triakis semifasciata

Red Gorgonian, Lophogorgia chilensis

California Golden Gorgonian, Muricea californica

Marine Iguana, Galapagos

Bigeye Jacks, Galapagos

Schooling Fish, Galapagos

Photo of Cortez Chub

Sea Otter Photo

Photo of a Corynactis Anemone

Photos of Boat Strikes of Marine Animals

Photo of California Sheephead Wrasse

Photo of West Indian Manatee, Crystal River, Florida

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