K41 & Secret Garden Revisited

It was a gentle couple of dives today with the newbies, Sarah and Ange. For a change, we had Pam, a photographic student, shooting macro for the first time (I think). Shooting in macro, I finally managed to get a decent short of Chromodoris kuniei. What a beautiful little nudi this is. And so easy to fill the frame with my macro alone!

And thanks so much for lifting your skirt for the camera, Sir...or is that, Madam... Nudis!

And we finished at Secret Garden with this wacky little Blenny. I would have missed it completely if Wayne had not spotted it.

Peek-a-boo!

This guy was hiding in his little hole, poking his head out every now and then. Actually, he was reasonably easy to photograph (in the sense that he was not particularly shy). If you expand the photo, you can see his tiny teeth.

The Big Picture: 15 January 2011

Today was the first time that I stacked macro lenses on my macro to try to get a better look at some of the small stuff 'down there'. Thanks to Marcus for supplying 2 of his INON 67mm closeup lenses to add to my macro lens. I applied this at Bihau village where Wayne "The Professor " Lovell outdid himself with identifying the strange and small. But we started at Bob's Rock about 45km East of Dili.

At Last! Flabelina bilas

I have photographed a nudi like this a couple of times but never quite got the detail. It was always over-exposed. Today, however, I think I nailed it. This is a great little nudi. The detail in the cerata (the pointy things hanging off the body of the critter) is amazing. Also note the hockey stick-shaped oral tentacles with white patches. Very cool!

Chromodoris annae?

Then, at the end of the Bob's Rock dive, Marcus found this very odd little fellow which is probably Chromodoris annae. But it is a very atypical one. The species normally has a black lined margin along with the white and orange. In this case, however, instead of lines, there are just black patches. I would be surprised if this were a different species. Just an odd looking old friend.

Thanks for the Stackable Macro Lenses, Marcus!

This is close to a full frame short of a Chromodoris magnifica found at Bihau Village (40km East of Dili). Look at the detail in those Rhinophores! I love closeup photography.

Glossodoris cincta

Finally, Wayne found this glorious little nudi. The last time I saw this species was a few months ago when diving on Marcus' Home Reef near Tasi Tolu. Here, the stacked lenses definitely helped capture this fabulous little critter! Overall, very satisfying diving with nice photo results.

The Long Nudi Weekend

The New Year weekend was one to remember with dives at Lone Tree, Marble Rock, Tasi Tolu, Dirt Track and Bob's rock. Wayne and Mick (the Pommie brigade) were my companions. And there was a lot to see (especially on the Nudi department).

This was my first shot of Nembrotha lineolata and certainly not a great one either. Still, there was better to come. Like all my shots on Friday and Saturday, I was challenged by my camera settings (not realizing that I was not sooting in my custom mode, eh!)

And this is another new one for me (this time at Marble Rock). Chromodoris Strigata, I think.

Again at Marble Rock we had a reprise of the Dermatobranchus ornatus (looking a lot less like a pile of vomit than the 3 last week)

Sadly, due to camera 'issues' as well as visibility and current issues at Tasi Tolu on Saturday, there was not much to show except this cool little cowry with its mantel on display.

But the show stopper again was Bob's Rock on Sunday (Dirt Track was amazing but not for nudis and especially since i loaded my strobe with flat batteries! Thank goodness for the backups I kept back at the van.)

One of the few photos I got from Dirt Track (actually the last before the strobe gave up). What do you make of this mess of Chinese Dragons? Two of them meet in this ornate puzzle (not at all similar to the menage a toi noted last week). See if you can work it out.

SURPRISE! A gorgeous Ribbon Eel takes a peek at Bob's Rock.

Bob's was great for the tiny and strange. This is Flabelina exoptata (I think!) No time to deal with the backscatter. Sorry!

Finally! A reasonable shot of the Nembrotha lineolata

And this is the second time I have run across this Flabelina bilas. Clearly, I haven't mastered the art of taking this small and pale nudi. I'll keep working at it.

Marcus spotted one of these at Bob's a couple of weeks back - Philidia indica

While far from perfect, this is probably the best shot I have of the Chromodoris magnifica.

And finally, the Thuridila lineolata again - not because I really needed it (there are always hundreds of these about Bob's - especially after heavy rain). But I needed a better photo.

Such a great way to end one year and start another!