Muck Diving Tulamben, Bali

Sea Slug Eating a Poisonous Sea Pen

Wondrous Eyes of the Mantis Shrimp

   Strange and Wonderful Critters

 Complex eyes peer up at you out of a burrow in the sand, poisonous feathers zap the uninitiated hand, slugs come in every color of the rainbow, and the tiny cousin of the infamous giant squid zips around at night challenging even the strongest of eyes to see. These are just a few of the mysterious creatures you will find when heading away from the coral reefs and exploring the muck diving side of Indonesia's scuba scene.

Bobtail Squid (Pinky Fingernail Size)

Tiny Nudibranch Next to Pointer Stick

  On the island of Bali, the place for muck diving is Amed and Tulamben. These small villages sit on the northeast coast of Bali under the imposing shadow of Mt. Agung, a 9,944ft volcano. Agung last erupted in 1963, sending the hulking wreck of the US Liberty tumbling off the beach down the steep slope to its present day submerged resting spot. Having an active volcano in your backyard always keeps things a little more exciting. The black sand beaches provide a favorite backdrop for photographers looking for a nice contrast to the small and unsual critter subjects.

Sap Sucking Slug

Tiny Tiger Shrimp

  Muck diving has grown increasingly popular among scuba divers looking for different and unique marine life, as well as underwater macro photographers. While these creatures can be borderline microscopic, they often possess some of natures most psychedelic colors and patterns.

Juvenile Emperor Angelfish

Candy Crab

  This is the world that Heidi and I wanted to expose our friends Phoebe and Erica to. All four of us come from marine biology backgrounds which is the perfect foundation for realizing the wonder of these animals. Slugs, crabs, and shrimp don't get most people excited, but maybe after a dive or two here in Tulamben they will be singing a different tune. While decompressing over a beer in the dive resort pool after our first night dive my friend Erica's description was simply, "mind blown."

Find more macro photographs for sale at www.daimarsphotos.com