New Obsession Snorkeling vs Diving - Part 1 - Nudibranch Intro

Snorkeling vs Diving

i think everyone knows, i really enjoy my snorkeling.   it’s usually free, and i can go wherever i want, by myself, stay in the water for as long as i want, many times up to 3 hours, taking 300+ photos.   And it is relaxing and good exercise.
 
But, i am certified as an “Advanced Diver”, and typically, i would do 3-5 dives during my winter adventure.  Many times, just because i want to keep current.   Diving is expensive, equipment intensive, and you spend a lot of time preparing.   The deeper you dive down, the more air you use, and the shorter you can stay in the water.   If you are lucky, you are in the water for 50min.   And in my case, i am following my Dive Guide around (like a little duckling) because i don’t want to get lost, and i want them close by if anything goes wrong.   so it’s not conducive to ‘roaming’.   and there are always too many divers around, getting in each other’s way when you see something interesting.   and, if you want to take any photos, you get left behind while you snap away.  they usually don’t want to wait around for you to take photos, …they are on the move.

however, diving is very freeing, and it’s amazing to be able to breathe under water and not have to come up for air, and being totally weightless.  it’s definitely a different experience from snorkeling.  but obviously, without a lot of diving experience, my comfort level is not as great.  i just never felt it was worth the time, effort, and money.   Rarely did i see anything out of the ordinary.    And, if i did, i did not have a camera that could capture it at that depth.   My camera was only good for down to 15 meters, about 50 feet.   I bought a GoPro last year that could go much deeper, but was very disappointed with the photos.

I also have to admit that the couple days of snorkeling that i've done so far this year, i felt a bit ‘let down’.    All the fishes that i saw were ‘repeats’.   i’ve seen them before, i know their names, and have many photos of them, i’m not seeing anything new.  so it’s not been as exciting as it was 2 years ago.   And, definitely not as exhilarating as the last month in Indonesia last year.   The bar just keeps getting set higher and higher.   So that was disappointing to me ….call me spoiled   :(

But, i’ve always been fascinated by the photos of those little brightly colored creatures.   i belong to a FaceBook Group of people who post photos of those creatures, and i always wished i could see them for myself.     They are generally and inch or less in size, some smaller than a grain of rice.  so in spite of being brightly colored, they are very difficult to find, and usually deeper than i could hold my breath.

Last year in the Philippines, i met Phil, who had an underwater housing for a camera like mine (Olympus).    i was envious of the photos he took while diving; they were amazing!   my camera is several years old, has served me VERY well, but ‘on it’s last leg’.   so this summer i splurged; bought the newer model and the underwater housing.    When i found out he was returning to the Philippines to do some Muck Diving; i kind of invited myself to join him.   He was kind enough to tell me where he was staying, and i booked myself there too; which is how i ended up at Aivy Maes in Dauin.   There are several places, in the WORLD, that are known for their Muck Diving, and this is one of them.



Muck Diving

so, what is this Muck Diving that i am talking about?   Basically you are searching on the floor of the sea for tiny creatures.    So far, it’s not really been ‘muck’, as us Michiganders would envision it.   It is sand, and here, it is dark heavily-grained sand… definitely NOT  ‘mucky’ ! 
 
People used to refer to it as Macro diving with this definition:  seeing tiny creatures, that photographers use macro lenses to allow them to take big, close up pictures of the minuscule.   Diving that does not focus on the big stuff.  “Macro Divers are not blown away by a manta or a shark gliding past - they just want to get up close with the marine creatures of lesser stature but no less fascinating.”

I might also add that in the past, being able to focus on the tiny stuff required large very expensive camera equipment.   Now, however, technology has evolved enough to allow quite impressive results with a simple ‘point and shoot’ camera.

With Muck Diving there also is an important element in being able to maintain yourself ‘stable’ enough underwater, to be able to hold still long enough to focus on the tiny stuff.   Which means you better be a pretty well-experienced diver.    so, although i was excited to try this, i knew it could be a problem for me, … i did not consider myself to be at this level of competency.    I didn't want to be the one who is ‘out of control’, flailing arms and legs around, and stirring up the sand, ....ruining everyone’s photos !

But, here i am, and i’m going to do the best i can, and try to stay out of everyone’s way.   Our Dive Guide was ‘Gien’, ...:like the drink" he said  :)   He was nothing short of amazing.   Good English (important), very competent, patient, and nice.   He got me all set up with my equipment and we were ready to go.   Something else different here.   Normally you get in a boat, speed off somewhere, and jump in the water.   Here, we entered the water from the shore.    Quite a bit more cumbersome.   First walking down to the beach through heavy sand with full diving gear on, including a 30-35 pound tank and 12 pound weight belt.    Gien was very sweet to be right by my side, holding on to me, until i got in the water, then still holding me while i clumsily (defined as lacking in skill and finesse) put my fins on.   The paperwork that you have to fill out, asks your age.   I am sure this is why he was so caring and respectful with me, .....  i am  ‘old’  … and the Philippinos are very respectful of their elders !

The dive was GREAT !
It was not at all like any other dive i’ve been on.   It was only Phil and I with Gien, that was awesome!    and we went really slow, Gien is fantastic at finding those tiny creatures and pointing them out.    a lot of the times i could not see what he was pointing at, but he didn’t give up until i finally saw it.   like this tiny ScorpionFish.    Usually ScorpionFish are 10-15” and, although very well camouflaged, once they are pointed out to you, you don’t have any trouble seeing them.   This one was about 1.5” long …. and it took me a long time to see it !   The deeper you go, the less light there is, so the color is washed out.   but OMG, check out the color captured with my new camera !  

Unfortunately not everything is out in the open.   The next 2 photos will let you know just how difficult it is to find critters.   The pink spots, are the arms of a Crab, but he was not a willing subject for a photo.  

and this yellow claw, is from a tiny Squat Lobster.   i know, you can’t tell what i plant and what is animal ... :(

How Gien ever sees these creatures is amazing.   Although he does have 25 yr old eyes; a person still needs to know ‘where’ to look for things.

and, he was happy to have us take photos, so there was no rush.   in fact he encouraged photos and then he put them on his FaceBook page.   many of mine are on there now  :)   we didn’t cover a very large area, so he would be looking for new things to see, while we were taking photos.   so, he was always within eye-sight.   it was totally relaxing.

the other fun thing was being able to take photos of fish that i previously had not been able to get while snorkeling, plus, the colors!    this is a Yellow Tailed Corlis, i cannot tell you how many times i tried to get this photo while snorkeling …

everything is just magically brighter, and within ‘reach’.   like this small ThreadFin Anthias

even little ‘Nemo’ just ‘pops’ out of the Anemone, and the Anemone has a much richer texture … just like it actually looks to my eyes underwater !

I got out of the water LOVING the dive!   and LOVING my new camera!   I did a pretty good job of staying out of Phil’s way while he was taking a photo, before i attempted mine, in case i stirred up the sand, (which i did).    So i have a LOT of room for improvement !   Phil is helping me with some pointers:   keep my head down, and my feet up in the air, to keep them off the sand.

The next day Gien asked if we wanted to dive at Thalatta.    Yes, i wanted more!   This day, a group of 7 got in a van and we drove 20min south, turned down a narrow rutted dirt road and arrived at the beach.    This was an unprotected area and the waves were HUGE.     ….and we are going to enter from the beach?    Gien really was holding on to me this time, plus there were big rocks in the water that you couldn’t see.    Fortunately i was NOT the one that dropped his fins in the water and lost them !!!!!!!!!!    Poor guy, i thought he was going to be spending the day on shore, but Gien found them for him and off we were.   Although there were 7 of us, there were only 4 in our group with Gien, the new guy who lost his fins was in our group.  

I actually found a couple of Flounders myself, and a small SeaHorse, neither one merits a photo.   The SeaHorse had his head in the coral and wouldn’t move.  :(

Unfortunately, our ‘new guy’ sucked all his air out quickly and we surfaced after only 30min.   Phil and I both had over a half a tank of air left.    We were disappointed, but that’s how it works.   When someone runs low on air, the responsible thing to do is end the dive early  :(

However, the day was not lost.   When we got back, Gien had planned a dive to The Pier, an old structure that is no longer in service.    We heard it’s one of the best sites for Muck Diving   ….can’t refuse that !     Back in the van to the north and down another narrow rutted road to the beach.   It’s a bit of a walk to The Pier from where we parked.   Gien and Zig, the other Dive Instructor, insisted that they carry my tank down the beach.    I didn’t think it was necessary; i am almost 70, but i’m in good shape.     I protested, but honestly … i would have been struggling.   I would have had to stop along the way and waste precious time.    It is very difficult walking in thick squishy sand with a wet wetsuit, full gear, a 30-35 pound tank and a 12 pound weight belt, carrying your substantial fins, mask, and camera.    Zig had his own gear AND carried my tank   :(

The waves had settled down a bit, it was still rough, but with Gien helping me get my fins on, we started swimming for the pier.   It was a tiring swim against the current, but we arrived.   oh and … the ‘air-sucking-guy’ went with another group, it was just us 3 again  :)

I was over-the-top with this Dive Site !   It was difficult to keep up with all the creatures Gien was finding.    We actually visited this site again the last day i was there.   It was the same incredible experience !


I have so many photos to share with you.  i'm going to start with photos of Nudibranchs.    First i'll tell you a little bit about them and show examples.
-A Nudibranch is also called a Sea Slug, it is like a snail without a shell.
-they range from 1/4 inch to 12"
-they do have eyes, embedded in their skin, so very difficult to see.    They cannot distinguish images, only light and dark
-they are hermaphrodites!  Each one is simultaneously a male and a female.   They possess reproductive organs of both sexes, although a nudibranch cannot fertilize itself.   While mating they fertilize each other, then both lay eggs in a beautiful spiral that looks like a rose.   i've shown this photo before.

-the name Nudibranch essentially means 'naked gills' and refers to the fact that without a shell, the gills are exposed.   Gills are what they use to 'breathe'.   Many nudibranchs can quickly withdraw them into a gill pocket, if they are in danger of being nibbled by a predator.

The 'frilly' parts sticking up, are the gills on this Dusky Nembrotha kuberyana.   They are hard to miss and i can see why they might look like 'easy-pickins' for something.  this one was about 2" long so easier to see, especially when crawling across the sand

some Nudis have gills called 'cerata' that look like spikes sticking out of their bodies, like this Much Desired Flabellina.   The ...'Much Desired' .. is honestly part of the name

and this is a Much Desired Flabellina juvenile that will eventually grow up to look like it's parents.   it was very important to Gien that i saw this one and photograph it.   he said it was rare to see one !

 -the other distinguishing feature of the Nudi are their Rhinophores, which look like horns.  They use them to 'smell' and find their food.   These also can be withdrawn as well.  There are different types of Rhinophores.   Some are tapered cylinders like on this Miller's Nembrotha

some Rhinophores are bulbous at the end like the ones on this Semper Armina

some are little 'stubs'.    Phil was photographing this Gymnodoris subflava.   When he left, i got my turn.  I took a few snaps and the little thing just 'flew up' and moved over to a different piece of grass .. one that was much more conducive to photographing !    Some times it pays to wait your turn.  Other times whatever they were looking at, decides to crawl into a hole or behind some coral, by the time you get there.   It almost looks like you can see through this one... strange.    This one was really small, but at least it was brightly colored and easier to see.

 - another part of their anatomy are their 'oral tentacles', which helps them feel their way, but also probably detects smells.   they are on either side of their mouth.   they are very visible on this Indian Caloria.   The rhinophores are pulled back and the 'tentacles' are way out front

 - that just leaves their mouth, which i unsuccessfully tried to get a photo of on this Nembrotha lineolata.  i don't think it is possible, but it does look like he is smiling :)

Most of the Nudi's that Gien found for us were less than 1/2 inch and incredibly difficult to see even when he pointed them out.    This one really blended in with her surroundings.  Luckily 'she' was so sparkly!   This is a Krakatoa Hypselodoris, again with these names.   i couldn't find any other name for the beauty.  There are 3000 Nudibranchs, and i guess people got tired of giving them cute little names   :(     We could have a contest:  Name that Nudi

Gien pointed this out to me, although i couldn’t see it, nor tell what it was, i took a photo and got to see it when i got back and put it on my computer.  It is another Flabellina

This one was probably discovered by someone named 'Kunie'.   This exquisite specimen is called Kunie's Nudibranch  !    I really like the subtle coloring on this one

a Geometric Chromodoris with another shape of Rhinophores.

i am quite proud to say that i found this one all by myself!   not only was it tiny, but it was so SKINNY, like a piece of yarn.    no one else saw it but me because they were all off looking at other amazing things.  It is called a Gloomy Tambja, but it doesn't look 'gloomy' to me

This was definitely the tiniest Nudi i saw.   One of the other Dive Guides pointed it out to me, and insisted i see it.     It is a Noumeaella sp. 1, at least that's the 'name' i found on line.

These next 3 area all called Painted Thecacera.   There are 2 of them together in this photo.

They were very cute and fat, not like the other Nudis

I took the day off diving and went snorkeling, thinking i could find something by myself.   That was a silly thought!   But i did see several divers all huddled with camera.   After they left, i dove down and found this pretty blue Nudi.   Gien said it is not a normal one here and didn't know what it was.   I went to a Facebook group i belong to and posted it.   It is an interesting one, because just a few years ago it was re-classified as Trinchesia (Tenellia) sp., formerly Cuthona sp.    Who figures this stuff out?

This is a Spotted hypselodoris, a little out of focus, ... it was very tiny !

and a Girdled Glossodoris

and Anna's Chromodoris

That is the end of your lesson on Nudibranchs.    Next Blog will have photos and lessons about Crabs, Shrimps, SeaHorse, plus more !

I hope you are not disappointed at the lack of fish photos, but i haven't seen anything that i haven't shown you before.   So i hope you can appreciate the excitement of my new obsession with the 'little stuff' while  Muck Diving !