Up Close with Great Whites
Photo by Gabriel Lu
Here is another picture from our recent shark trip to Guadalupe on the Nautilus Explorer Belle Amie dive boat. He was less than three feet from my camera. Close enough for us to reach out and grab each other.
A Close Encounter : Cage Diving with Great Whites
Photo by Gabriel Lu
Last week we embarked on a Great White Shark diving expedition to Guadalupe island aboard the Nautilus Explorer Belle Amie. The crew on this top-notch operation gave us a thrilling experience as they lowered our cages into the baited waters of Baja California. Originally, I wasn’t too excited about cage diving but the intensity of the shark activity outside the cages was enough to keep even the bravest divers tucked inside. To capture this image, I hung outside the cage for just a moment, holding onto the bars as the massive great whites swirled around us. By the second day, I was happy to enjoy the show from the safety of the cage.
My Friend, the Harbor Seal
Photo by Gabriel Lu
This young harbor seal dove down 70 feet to meet me at the ocean floor. She looked at me curiously as I blew bubble rings at her, waved at her, and tried to hug her. After about a minute, I offered her a delicious sea urchin. She grinned at me, declined my urchin, and finally swam away.
The Coral Triangle
Photo by Gabriel Lu
Two divers zoom in on stunning soft coral growing on a seascape blanketed in sea lilies (Crinoids) in the #Coraltriangle of Komodo Island National Park.?
Crimson Soft Coral
Photo by Gabriel Lu
These delicate soft corals attach to rock formations and get their energy both filter feeding and photosynthesis. They reach their thin branches upward, facing their fan into the current, shining like crimson beacons against the deep blue.
