I'm moving back to Queensland in 4 and a half months. I have mixed feeling about it. On the one hand I'll be happy to get back to my friends and family and my little fur ball, Venus. But on the other I will miss this place dearly, and especially all of the underwater adventures we have had here. For me, living by the sea has opened up a new wondrous world to me! I think you can see my passion for all things ocean related in my work and that is a direct result of living here. How fortunate have I been?
So, in the knowledge that I am soon to move back to the hills, I have been gathering and collating all of my underwater photos from our days of summer snorkelling. We didn't bring the camera with us nearly enough! And truth be told, our underwater camera is very old and dying a long, protracted death. Sometimes I'll be shooting away, get out and excitedly check my photos only to realise the camera stopped working after my first shot. That really burns after you've seen something cool! Haha! Even though these images are wonky and unfocussed and poorly composed (looking though goggles plus water, plus a viewfinder in underwater light ain't easy!) they trigger happy saltwater memories for me.
These images are a great reminder of my time living by the Indian Ocean. Here are some of my favourites from the past 12 months:
The picture below is actually of two octopuses. It is taken on the reefy bit just out the front of the North Cottesloe Surf Club. They were only a few metres in from the shore line. They were either fighting or in the throes of passion - it's difficult to tell sometimes! Haha! Anyway, we saw them tumbling around on the ocean floor and they moved to this rock. We were pushed a bit too close by the waves and one of them took off, quick as a flash, and shot out ink at us. We got it on video but I'll have to dig around for it. It was really awesome and we've seen a few octopuses in that area since then, mostly hiding between rocks or camouflaged on the weedy ocean floor. They always seem to have their eyes transfixed on us.
Finally, here are a couple of little videos I found in my files. Excuse our pro camera work, lol! ;)