Great Barrier Reef pics! Updated with clam pics!

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

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:

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

That last one was ENORMOUS!!!

And my favorites...





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.

[Delphinus]

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

[Chin_Lee]

Love them pics. MORE MORE MORE

[ed99]

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

Ed

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by ed99

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

Ed

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

[mark]

fantastic pictures

[ed99]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

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

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!

[untamed]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

....
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.

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!

[Jason McK]

WOW great shots MOREMORE

J