Capturing the Moment

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...

       Nudibranchs  Sea slugs have always been one of my favorite creatures to search for underwater. They are colorful and slow moving which makes them a perfect subject for underwater photography. Indonesia is one of the best nudibranch hot spots. Our first dive at Tulumben was a muck dive during which we actively sought out nudis and other small and bizarre creatures. The next three dives on the wreck were not focused on small things but we still kept finding them.  I noticed one nudibranch that we have in Hawaii and one that we saw on the Great Barrier Reef, but so many were new and different. The amount of hydroids and soft coral that these nudibranchs feed on is plentiful here in the warm waters around Bali. I love diving on beautiful coral reefs but muck diving can be so exciting and surprising. Decorator Crab           Wild Crustaceans Hairy Squat Lobster (Look Hard) ...