Great Barrier Reef pics! Updated with clam pics!
 

Just a few pics I took diving last month in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Taken with a Cannon G7, so no the best pics but decent. I was lucky enough to pic up a second hand underwater casing just before the second dive...I had no camera for the first dive and was so disappointed. I also now have no camera as it was stolen a few weeks ago. Anyways, heres the pics, none were deeper than 24 meters.

Enjoy!

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2129copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2331copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1607copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1622copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1505copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1484copy.jpg

I absolutely LOVE puffers so...

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1615copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2301copy.jpg

Not sure what this is but I like the pic...

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1509copy.jpg

Anyone know what this thing is? Our guide told me but I forget...

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1495copy.jpg

This guy scared me because he wrapped around me a bit:surprise:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1994copy.jpg

Can you see the fish???

Great camo...He is easier to see in the picture but in real life it was very hard!

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2321copy.jpg

Christmas tree worm http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=2192

Feather starfish (crinoid) http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=2179

I will post more when I have time! I have quite a few more. It was an incredible spot to witness. I would recommend anyone who can go dive there, do so.

One thing that I felt a little sad about after getting back was seeing my puffers in an aquarium. Its kind of disheartening after seeing them so free and graceful, with an ocean of room to swim. The puffers were incredible and friendly! They would swim right over and kind of stare.

I also now have a totally different outlook on Tangs in an aquarium. After seeing the size they should get and how fast they are...I was amazed. These guys are nuts! Again, sad to see how tangs act in a 4 foot tank compared to the ocean. Honestly, now most tangs I see look depressed in comparison. I guess Im now one of those Tang Police who think they DO infact need a 6 foot tank:biggrin:

Anyways, enjoy the pics!

We also went to New Zealand for one dive. Unfortunately the pics turned out terrible that day because it was cloudy but we got to swim relatively close to Sperm Whales! They did not like divers though...I don't blame them!

Another thing that I was amazed with, was how "low light" it seemed in the reef. Most of the sps corals were in dim light and not too bright. If it wasn't for the sponges, it would have been quite dull. Not ugly, still incredible, but not as bright as I expected.

Thos epics look pretty good to me! I know where my next vacation isto.:mrgreen:

Oh yeah its a good camera...I just didn't want anyone to compare these to the professional pics you see of the GBR!

Thanks for sharing . Must have been a amazing trip.

Diving the Great Barrier Reef is a priority on my list of things to do.
Thanks for sharing, those pics are great.

those are amazing... how much scuba experience do you need to do this sorta thing? Want to try next time I go to mexico but i dont know how to scuba, lol, and snorkling just sounds like a tease.

Great pics. Brings back memories. I went there in '90 and '01. Far too long ago. I'm hoping to go back maybe in 2009, with baby #2 on the way I can't really go before then. Would love to see more pictures when you get the chance.

Unfortunately my trip predates me having a digital camera so all the pictures I have are on paper (how quaint!).

Got any pictures of clams? :)

I had not been diving too much before Australia. Just a few times in Mexico actually. I would recommend you learn here in Canada first and then go down.

I will add more pics soon, I have to get them uploaded still. I lost quite a few when my camera was stolen. Most of the pics that were stolen though were of kangaroos and landscape...:sad: I had already taken the diving pics off to make space for more.

Im not sure if I got many pics of clams but I will check...

Clams for Delphinus!!!
 

These guys would close if you got anywhere close, so none are really open in the pics. Clams were considered pests over there to the locals. They seemed to hate them for the most part...Our guide REALLY hated them. After the dive he came over to me and was like "what the hell are you taking pictures of those buggas for??? You come down for beauty didnt ya?"...It was quite funny.

Here we go:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1522copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1591copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1619copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2045copy.jpg

That last one was ENORMOUS!!!

And my favorites...

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1971copy.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2111copy.jpg

Loved the ones with sps growing all over them!

Another thing this trip did was change my idea of a "perfect reef". When I set up another reef someday, I would really love to have it look as natural as possible. Not trying to put peoples reef "down" because they are beautiful but they look so unnatural after seeing the real thing! Ours look way too planned and algae free! I loved seeing all the corals growing on each other and competing for space, ect.

You know, I encountered a little bit of the same thing when I was down there, the guides didn't really know jack poop about some of the things they were showing off. Yeah, the boat did have a marine biologist who lectured while the boat was underway and she knew her stuff but getting the guides to show you stuff ... I dunno, I just sort of expected them to know more. It's bad when you find yourself wanting to correct them! "Here is the clownfish family, the dad and the mum, and the babies." "Well actually .. that's a female and her male, and the smaller ones are more like males-in-waiting".

I'm shocked they would sort of poo-poo the clams. That's just .. that's just wrong man!!!

I found that the inside reefs, close to places like Low Isles for example, did have a "dirtier" look to them. Silt, algea, etc. However the outer reef was more pristine, at least I found.

And I agree, nothing like seeing a real reef to inspire you to "do better" with aquascaping :)

Love them pics. MORE MORE MORE

Great shots. Did you use an external flash or were you able to get those pics with the built-in one?

Ed

That probably explains why my tanks tend to be quite different looking that the standard that others shoot for. I'm a diver/photographer also!

WOW great shots MOREMORE

J

I used just the built in one. It did not work for a bunch of pics though because of it!

Yeah I can totally relate now! I want my new tank to be a bit more "natural" even though its only a FOWLR.

I hope people do not think I sound snobby though...I was not at all trying to put down anyones reefs! They are gorgeous. I think what amazed me was ALL the growth and variety! It would be hard to mimic it in a closed system for sure but I think could be done.

Thing is, you would have to shy away from the kind of pre-conceived idea of what a beautiful reef aquarium is. I think we get used to seeing the same looking "reef of the month" or "tank of the month" and then try to recreate that in our own tanks. Again, nothing wrong with that but I never saw anything close to a sps ONLY area of the reef for example. I found that there was lots of macro algae mixed in everywhere and softies anywhere they could survive. It really is incredible!

I will post more soon.

fantastic pictures

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What an adventure it must have been. My plans to dive there were put on hold due to little ones as well. Hopefully I will still be young enough to go by the time they allow me.

Yeah- you do have to be pretty close, but those are still some great shots. I just bought a housing for my Canon (not nearly as good a model as yours) but it has given me hope I can get some good shots next trip. Now I just have to line up a dive trip!

Interesting points about this mix of SPS, softies, algae, etc. I've only started getting into corals in the last couple of years. All my dives to good coral reefs were almost wasted with what little I knew to look for. Hawaii didn't have much in the way of corals so I am looking forward to another trip to a great reef- perhaps the Cook Islands will be a better place than Calgary in February!

I have no camera anymore though...stolen:sad:

It is pretty rare to see a tank that is a bit more natural looking. I don't usually shop at Big Al's but I think the one in Richmond actually has a mixed reef, maybe a 180G that is very natural looking with all kinds of algae, stuff like bubble algae and what not. It also has some sps and softies if Im remembering correct...I remember liking it though!