Under-Waterworld

Skipping all the nonsense that accompanies my usual lack-of-blogging here is an excited, yet relaxed, slightly tanned update from the northern hemisphere. For this King-of-Quince has recently arrived back from a snorkeling and diving holiday in Egypt where I wasn't terrorized at all, except by the resort helpers perpetual calls for 'beach volley, anyone?'

Despite this I managed to relax, forget about life and enjoy good weather and some amazing, freaky, cool, amazing, beautiful, (did I mention amazing already?) aquatic life and landscapes.

And thanks to the wonders of digital photography and the cool tech bods that came up with the CRAZY idea of designing underwater cases for such digital wizardry, I'm able so show you a teaser of the under-waterworld.


Spotted Dick? No just a friendly grouper (I think) that was always in the same spot on the house reef.


This amazing creature is an electric ray, maybe 30cm long. I was surprised to get this photo, as I was focusing on trying to photograph an octopus (Old Eight Arms) at the time. So very cute. By comparison check out this stingray.



Width? Maybe 1-1.5m. Length? Maybe 2-2.5m. Distances can be deceiving underwater, but this was very literally a monster. It had me worried in the way that I felt it would rupture my tank--by stabbing it's barb through me--if I decided to become a little too Steve Irwin. At 20m below the surface, I was very keen not to loose any air unnecessarily!

Here is my favorite critter photographed on holiday. I took about 10 photos of this beastie, and a movie; half showing it's alien grace in avoiding my unwanted attention the other half showing my lack of skill underwater. But this is my favorite pic. It is an illustration of just how cool nature is, and how lucky I am to be able to be here to see a small part of it. Here is Old Eight Arms:



And as a final photo, and to prove to those of you who can actually recognize me under my snazzy new mask (a birthday present), here I am breathing underwater. I am in fact half fish!



Note: this is likely the only photo I'll ever publicly publish of myself. I feel safe and anonymous, cause even I have trouble recognizing my smashing good looks under my mask sucking on a lifesaving, but huge, black lollipop!

Anyway, life is good. I'm now 30, but I'm relaxed about where I'm at. I think I have a semblance of a plan. There is NZ music on the stereo. I have a choice of beer and tea on the table next to me. Who cares that when I left work early at 4.55pm tonight, it was dark and 2 degrees outside? No, not me. Never!