The sun is back out and it's time to get in the water. Numerous reefs lie just beneath the surface of the clear, blue sea. Like birding, the goal is to spot, photograph and identify species of reef fish and creatures. Getting a good photo is a bonus! For that, there is much holding of the breath involved, especially for those teeny shrimp that like to hide in anemones or a fluffy lettuce sea slug.
We soon learn not to only search in the perfectly formed, brightly colored reef structures. Oftentimes, even drab snorkeling spots house the most interesting creatures. Eagle-eye Lizz never fails to find the most remote and camouflaged critters for us to identify. Can you spot the scorpionfish hiding in this coral head or the cute little roughhead blenny housed in an inconspicuous rock (hint: his orange eyes were the giveaway)?
The Panasonic TS3 underwater camera is taking reasonable shots, despite annoying fogging in the lens and LCD screen. Michele is practicing taking pictures of different targets (stationary/moving) with various lighting situations (flash/no flash) and various spot modes of focus for macro shots. The hardest objects are those moving and far away, since the silt in the water affects photo color and clarity. Aside from capturing the target, it's amazing how amenable sea life is to composing some more artistic shots with colors and symmetry.
