What's that you say?  There's something in the water?  Big fish, big teeth?

I will just continue peering into sponges.  Never mind those roaming elasmobranchs.  Because there is a whole other world waiting inside your neighborhood sponge.  Take a look and you might find teeny tiny guppies, brittle stars, nudibranchs, gastropods, or yet... more sponge.  An easter egg hunt on every dive.

We had two enjoyable dives in Providencia.  It is very different to dive for fun rather than for work.  There's the guide, and the group of people, and the time limits, but you don't have to worry about carrying a bunch of tubes with you, counting creatures, or avoiding eels when working close to the reef.  It was fun.  However, again we were a bit sad to see that Caribbean, You've got an algae problem.  The stuff is everywhere.  The corals are not looking good.  There was, however, quite an abundance of big fish.  I have never dived with so many sharks.  Several times I almost bumped into one.  They seemed quite curious.  But the benthic fauna seems to be struggling.

Guppie and Brittle Star!!

That's one fine looking sponge...

turtle! 

I would just hug that sponge if he weren't so spiculey!

one fish two fish red fish blue fish...

sponge attacking coral!!

cleaner shrimp!

whelp, cya later!

We did get off the boat a few times...

...and when we did, what wonders did we see.  While collecting data, taking tissue samples, laying transects, and counting fish, all around us, was an upside down world filled with life.  We were circled by swarms of barracudas, startled by rays scurrying about and there were even a few sharks.  There were corals of every shape, color, and size.  Cucumbers, lionfish, and even nasty crown of thorns starfish.  There were fish of the swimming variety as well, though not very big ones as the fishermen have been quite successful with their nets and long lines and dynamite.  And in the southern region of the Red Sea there is more productivity in the water which means less visibility, more growth, and things sneaking up on your while you're diving.

barracuda/ shark video credits - Alex // blue spotted ray video and several photo credits - Remy

good fun

When not hunting around in the muck, we combed the reefs
for visible signs of larger life forms.  A shimmer on the water,
the breach of a dorsal fin, and then everyone scurries about
for masks and cameras and SPLASH!! we are in the water
trying to keep up with the giant plankton eaters.  It is good
fun, this swimming with whale sharks.  No need to fear giant
teeth ripping me apart, these guys just glide peacefully on,
piloted by the little fish that swim along with them.

**Thanks Casey for the video**

something's in the water....

Shark Attack!  Sorry, I have been a total blog-slacker lately!  I have just been too busy extracting DNA from sponges, cooking delicious Colombian food, and swimming with sharks!  Last weekend, I went back to Al Lith for Whale Shark tagging.  It is that time of year where these giant plankton eaters migrate up the Red Sea.  Quite a sight to behold...

More updates soon, I promise!