<a href="/serendipity/" title="Robert's Ramblings" I immensely dislike the expression ‘low hanging fruit’ but when it comes to naturally photogenic, patient, and easy to photograph critters then hermit crabs fit the category. This Hermit Crab (Paguristes frontalisi) under Edithburgh Jetty is wearing a shell that is probably a new acquisition and watching it struggle around with … Read more
<a href="/serendipity/" title="Robert's Ramblings" Our most common nudibranch (well at least I think it is) is Ceratosoma brevicaudatum and I still have no idea if it has a common name. It’s big as far as nudibranchs go. It is bright orange which makes it visible from meters away. Yet still many divers swim right on … Read more
<a href="/serendipity/" title="Robert's Ramblings" Happy Valentine’s Day! Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Valentine Rose’ 2.3s f/2.8 ISO200 100mm
<a href="/serendipity/" title="Robert's Ramblings" I have photographed hunting Blacklip Abalone (Haliotis rubra), at Port Noarlunga before and commented on their utterly mad night time appearance of green eyes, tentacles and snailfish encrusted shell. Observing images like this afterwards is always an eye opening lesson in observation for me. While photographing this guy, all I noticed … Read more
Just like looking out for overhead power lines it pays to look up when diving. We teach new divers that they should never put themselves into a position where they can not make an immediate ascent to the surface if they come into difficulty. It’s all very well to be taught to be a good … Read more
The Tasmanian Blenny, (Parablennius tasmanianus), is one of those wonderful little critters which can make you smile or even laugh underwater. Cute, cheeky and full of attitude they will play peek-a-boo with a diver and camera for as long as your patience or tolerance to cold water will last. This little guy had a cosy … Read more
Can you just imagine for a moment at the end of each tentacle a pair of eyes, a mouth and fangs!? Good thing it’s not Medusa or I might have become too heavy to swim back to the surface again. Anemones are usually associated tropical waters, large masses of waving tentacles and cute little anemone … Read more
Back home again and what better place to jump back into local water again than a midnight dive at Port Noarlunga. The visibility was not great, there was some surge and a strong current but nothing stopping another great macro photography session. There was not much critter action around aside from a huge amount of … Read more
Most sea slugs do not have common names and the fact that we call them nudibranchs is a nice way to divorce ourselves from the idea of their not so pretty, slimy green garden cousins. If this little critter had a common name it might be the Splendid Nudibranch but in the literature it is … Read more
This male Eastern Gobbleguts (Vincentia novaehollandiae) might look like the perfect husband. He will take full responsibility for his future newborns from the moment the female lays her large egg mass. He will protect them from predators, he will regularly roll them about to keep them fresh and aerated and he will have you believe … Read more