I've long wanted to swim with a Whale Shark, but sadly, they keep eluding me. To cope, I'm reminiscing about my encounters with the second biggest fish in the sea, the Basking Shark. Every year, just as summer starts, the UK newspaper industry starts churning out...
New research published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series suggests that the decline of coral reefs in equatorial regions is mirrored by new reefs in more temperate regions. Researchers have found that the number of young corals had declined by 85% on...
Observing coral reefs in the wild often reveals just how dynamic these ecosystems are. I have written about this before of course, but I've turned up a few images that show a reef in the Red Sea busily regrowing. It is possible that aquarists might not realize just...
Of all the Red Sea sights I get to witness, the shoals of anthias impress me the most. On a recent file deletion binge I found some images of Pseudanthias squamipinnis I don't think I have shared before. I hope you enjoy 'em. The good 'ol squammie is by far the most...
I’ve been aware of chitons for some time, mainly from childhood holidays exploring the rocky coastline of the UK’s north east. It was only when I found them in the Red Sea, though, that I realised just how tough these animals are. Chitons belong to the class...
The scourge of plastic in our oceans has received lot of publicity in recent years, especially in the UK where TV documentaries (notably the Blue Planet series) have brought the issue into the nation’s homes. It seems the country is doing well in saying ‘no’ to one of...
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been largely accepted as the standard way to protect marine biodiversity. However, a new study has shown that their benefit is even better than first suspected, and it all comes down to the size of the fish. I’ve dived in a number of...
I've been thinking a lot about shipwrecks recently and have revisited some photos from a tip to the Maldives a year or so back. I remembered how rare shipwrecks are in that region, in comparison to some of the busier waterways of the world, which is kind of a shame...
Nudibranchs are a source of endless fascination to many underwater photographers, with entire 'festivals' held in nudi hotspots such as Anilao in the Philippines; there's even an event in the cold waters of Scotland. Nudibranchs can sometimes be mistaken for...