Scuba Michael

The photo reveals a calm underwater world, featuring a large great barracuda hanging motionless. Its sleek, grayish-blue body, marked with darker spots, blends perfectly with the surroundings. The barracuda’s sharp eyes and steady fins show its quiet confidence as a skilled hunter. Behind it, a vibrant coral reef spreads out, full of textures and life. Dark, rocky formations covered in algae and coral create a rich, earthy backdrop. Delicate sea fans and branching corals rise like underwater trees, adding soft shapes and gentle golden tones to the scene. Bright white sand lies beneath, clearly separating the reef from the ocean floor. The water is crystal clear, filling the moment with peaceful stillness. This snapshot captures the beauty and harmony of life beneath the waves—a serene dance between fish and reef in their natural home.

A vibrant pink squid glides gracefully through a lively coral reef full of diverse marine life. The squid, glowing with soft pink and purple hues, swims calmly to the left, its smooth body standing out against the reef. Surrounding it, tall golden sea fans sway gently among patches of darker coral and seaweed, all resting on a sandy white ocean floor. Clear blue water filters sunlight from above, bathing the scene in a peaceful, serene glow. This image captures the quiet beauty and rich diversity of a healthy reef, where the bright squid contrasts beautifully with the warm, earthy tones of its underwater home.

The image is a close-up underwater shot of a squid, positioned prominently in the foreground. Its body shines with a rich reddish-orange hue, featuring a unique granular texture that adds depth to its appearance. The squid’s fins are gently spread, giving it a sense of calm movement, while its tentacles, partially visible, show a smoother texture in the same warm color range. A glimpse of its eye reveals a subtle bluish-green tint, hinting at the creature’s alertness. Behind the squid, the seabed is made up of variously sized turquoise-blue rocks, their cool tones contrasting beautifully with the squid’s warm colors. The rocks display patches of lighter and darker shades, suggesting texture and depth, and evoke a tranquil, almost otherworldly underwater landscape. Soft, diffused light filters through the water, creating a serene atmosphere with muted shadows, as if captured at some depth or on an overcast day. The focus is sharp on the squid, while the rocky background gently blurs, emphasizing the squid’s striking presence. The overall mood is peaceful and contemplative, inviting a quiet appreciation of the ocean’s hidden wonders.

A few more pics from #Bonaire.

The barracuda is difficult to get close to, but I'm happy.

Squid are my happy creatures. They move so gracefully. Forward, backward, slow, fast, all seemingly without any effort at all.

#scubadiving #underwaterphotography #diving #UWphotography #MarineLife

Beneath the Salt Pier in Bonaire, a shimmering river of yellowtail snapper weaves through the shadowed pillars, their silver bodies flickering like liquid light. Bright yellow tails flicker like sunbeams caught in a gentle underwater breeze, as the fish swirl and dance in a silent, graceful ballet—some ascending, others diving—woven together in a living tapestry of motion. The water, clear and kissed by sunlight, bathes the scene in a soft, dreamlike blue glow. Around them, ancient rocks and coral gardens in muted greens and browns cradle this vibrant world, where smaller fish flit like whispers among the coral’s embrace. This underwater symphony feels both alive and serene—a poetic glimpse into the secret, radiant heart of the sea.

It's been ages since I last posted. Just returned from Bonaire with too many photos to share.

Here’s one from beneath Salt Pier—a familiar scene for anyone who’s dived there. These fish swarm the structure, everywhere you look.

#scubadiving #underwaterphotography #diving #UWphotography #MarineLife

Awww.....

My third dry suit dive was so dry, it left my eyes wet. There’s hope, I swear!

Awww... Hope you get past all that and be happy

This makes me happy

I miss those days. Nights. I used to read like a book a week. Now I appear to be in hyperdrive, 24/7. Always doing something, always have somethjing on my mind. It has become difficult to slow down enough to actually immerse myself in a book. Scuba diving is the thing that keeps me sane. And sleepy!

Yes, Alchemy of Souls is really great! Think I like Odyssey more, but perhaps that's because it is the one that dragged me into all of this, kicking and screaming 😂

K-drama... I tend to keep my love for these hidden, but who can resist

Alchemy of Souls
Bulgasal: Immortal Souls
Sisyphus: The Myth
A Korean Odyssey

Think that last one was the first I ever saw. Found some things a bit over the top, but oddly I loved it more and more after each episode.

Love the colors on that crab!

Oh, thanks!

But trust me, I am not good at all. It takes some work to make them presentable. I am better at the afterwork than getting it right in the first place!
Pics would be better if I actually used strobes and stuff, but I'm broke and poor. All my riches go into diving gear and maintenance 😁

Close-up underwater of a North Sea crab, nestled within a bed of dark gray-brown, encrusted rock or sediment. The creature's shell is brownish and is heavily encrusted with various other organisms, including small, light-colored (whitish/gray) growths that look like algae or barnacles. The texture of the encrustations and the surrounding material is rough and uneven. The surrounding environment is composed of numerous small, organic particles, and the underwater light creates a somewhat muted, diffused light. Some dust and debris is floating around.

Another North Sea crab for #Crustmas

This own is covered in whatever that is, growing on him. He's not dead, by the way. They can stay still for crazy amounts of time.

#scubadiving #underwaterphotography #diving #UWphotography #MarineLife

Had a bit of wind here last night and disaster struck! This morning, we found one of the garden gnomes face down on the terrace 🤭

Better not say 🤭

But there were times I would read in bed, until I couldn't put the book away, and then at some point I would wake up with my face buried in the book 😬

Wow, that is amazing!

Close-up of a crab nestled amidst a bed of marine life, facing the camera. The crab is central and in sharp focus, displaying a mix of reddish-orange and dark brownish-black coloration on its shell and appendages. Its sizable claws are prominent, and the intricate detail of its exoskeleton is visible. The surrounding environment is a complex tapestry of marine organisms. Various types of algae and seaweed, are clearly present. The reddish seaweed in front of the crab stand out with their feathery, reddish-pink leafs. The bottom appears to be composed of oysters and sand.

A happy little crab for #Crustmas, minding his own business, wondering if I am going to spoil his lovely day.

#scubadiving #underwaterphotography #diving #UWphotography #MarineLife

Very surreal to see, by the way. These layers start at a certain depth, and slowly expand higher and higher, covering broad areas.
The stuff dies in the end, (changing temperatures?), dissolves into moldy crap, but leaving everything dead.

Lack of tides or water circulation plays a vital part.

Underwater scene showing a structure, likely a submerged pole or something, heavily encrusted with various organic materials, is centrally located. The encrustations are a mix of browns, muted purples, and greenish-browns. The texture appears rough and uneven, with some areas seemingly forming clumps or growths. A lobster, dark purple-brown in color, is partially visible, partially it seems embedded within the encrustation, and seems to be attached to or intertwined with the structure. One of its claws is hanging to the side. All is covered by a thin ghostly, slimy, transparent layer or substance. The surrounding water is a muted, hazy olive-greenish yellow. The image has a slightly painterly or stylized quality, giving the image a unique and somewhat otherworldly or abstract quality.

Crushing #Crustmas

Every summer, a slimy layer of mold or something, expands in our saltwater lakes, depriving everything of oxygen.

This lobster climbed to higher ground, trying to escape, but fell victim to the spooky stuff.

#scubadiving #underwaterphotography #diving #UWphotography #MarineLife

Great pic!

Even grater to be there, I guess 😁

Absolutely insane that stuff like that even needs to be posted 😶

That looks a lot better than writing initials on them 🤩

Underwater photo of a hermit crab in shallow water, eating a small jellyfish. The hermit crab is in the center of the image, predominantly light beige-tan colored, and is mostly visible within a pale-tan colored, somewhat rough-textured shell. Its appendages, including legs, are a reddish-orange hue. The jellyfish is translucent light blue, with numerous feathery, string-like tentacles or polyps extending outward. The background consists of light tan and grayish-brown sandy or muddy bottom. The light subtly accentuates the textures and colors of the creatures. Some hints of other organisms are visible in the background, particularly a blurred orange-colored organism or tuft of algae. The focus is primarily on the hermit crab and the jellyfish-like creature.

More #Crustmas

A hermit crab enjoying a yummie jellyfish

#scubadiving #underwaterphotography #diving #UWphotography #MarineLife

I'm pretty sure it's not the same one! They're so far apart, and very different water conditions.
I just saw that picture, and thought of the way these little critters here sometimes dress up in sea weed and wanted to share that 🫣

Wondrous creatures!

Going to Bonaire next year. Still not sure what I will carry with me. But not much of a problem. My wife doesn't dive, so I guess I could even bring my own weights 😂

But I have the luxury of having it all. My son dives too, single set up. He doesn't dive much, sadly, so I can take what I fancy.

In Dutch we call those 'hooiwagenkrab', which apparently is 'Macropodia rostrata' in latin.

The versions I meet sometimes tend to cover themselves in small pieces of seaweed and such, that help them blend into the background better.

The image features a close-up underwater shot of a European lobster (Homarus gammarus), which is the central focus, occupying most of the frame with its dark reddish-brown body and large, prominent claws. Its long antennaes extend outward to the left and right, nestled within a crevice or rock formation. The blurry background reveals a rocky seabed adorned with various marine growths, such as colorful sponges and other sessile organisms, while some smaller marine life can be seen. The lighting is soft and natural, creating a muted tone of the lobster in its habitat.

25 days of #Crustmas 😁

European lobster in the Grevelingenmeer, Netherlands.

#scubadiving #underwaterphotography #diving #UWphotography #MarineLife

Looks great! I am tempted. Especially with the dark days now. Even during some days, going under is just like a night dive 😆

But for you the fun starts with figuring out where to position the lights! Hope you have the opportunity to do practice dives!

Mine is lasting two months now. I think that's the longest dry spell in years.
But this weekend will be calm weather, so, hoping the underwater world will be calling ☎️

Only during those pesky surface intervals!

Hah, great! Happy fumbling with the floating pieces!

New gear should always arrive 5 minutes after ordering 🙄

Hope the delivery gods smile upon you tomorrow!