The Old and the Restless

Ten years ago, the Sea of Cortez was known for its sharks and manta rays. Now, it is known for its sea lions, which are found on almost every rock island. Here is a family of sea lions cavorting over our head. A sea lion pup comes down to investigate Sandra. There are more green moray eels per reef than I have seen elsewhere. In spite of the dangerous looking teeth, fish "know" the moray is not hunting in the daylight and swim close by. This stary moray was out hunting during the day. I "harassed" it by getting in close for a picture and it ducked into a hole and came out to have a look at me. Along came another stary moray out on a daytime hunt and it tried to get into the same hole. A tangle of thrashing bodies and teeth made me a little cautious about getting within a foot and a half to take the picture. One of the signature fish of the Sea of Cortez is the giant hawkfish. Sometimes, the giant hawkfish lined up side by side. The amarillo snapper didn't see...

Panamic Pork Fish Here are a few of Sandra's pictures. To see more, click on the link Sea of Cortez and then click on " Slideshow ". Paul has to get his photos developed. Then he has to figure out how to put them in his chapter of this Blog. Preparing to Dive Barber Fish Parrot Fish being cleaned The Crown of Thorns Sea Star. One of the "nasties" in the sea. It kills the coral. Although not widely spread here, it is becoming a problem on the Barrier Reef. The Nautilus Explorer. It has a welcome hot tub on the second deck. Unfortunately, a trip to the washroom beckons stronger after a dive than the hot tub.