Author: travel67

Yonaguni Blue

Published by

On some dives when you are looking for hammerhead sharks all you find is Yonaguni Blue. You can’t see the bottom or distinguish anything else in the crystal clear waters. Your senses are filled with the sound of your breathing through the regulator and the big blue. Pentax K5 SMC Pentax DA Fish-eye 10-17mm Ikelite Housing

Anemone Fields

Published by

At one of the dive locations there was a huge field of anemones with a multitude of clownfish. I wonder if there had once been vast groups of anemones like these on mainland Okinawa, which have since disappeared due to pollution or their removal for aquariums. This colony seems to have done particularly well in the clear, but rough seas off the coast of Yonaguni.

Kihachiro Aratake

Published by

Kihachiro Aratake was the captain of the dive boat for most of my dives. He still dives occasionally, but most of the guiding duties now go to his son Shotaro and the other dive staff. I noticed that Aratake-san always wore the same dive watch, a special edition “Apnea” Omega Seamaster. It was designed for Omega by Jacques Mayol. Aratake-san said that Jacques had given him the watch on one of his several visits to Yonaguni. After Jacques Mayol’s death an underwater plaque was placed off Yonaguni’s coast in his memory.

The Yonaguni Monument

Published by

The Yonaguni Monument is a monolith just off the coast of Yonaguni. Discovered by local diver Kihachiro Aratake in 1987, it appears to have structures that have been carved into the rock. Masaaki Kimura of the University of the Ryukyus studied the underwater topography and came to the conclusion that rather than a natural formation, it is the remains of an ancient civilization that has otherwise been erased from history. Divers enter through a short tunnel and then find two columns that reach up to near the surface. Divers then make their way around the loop road to the lower and upper terrace. The rock has been cut / fractured at right angles, with step like structures between levels. A triangle shaped pool may have once been the foundations for a building. Holes in the edges of the triangle could have been used to hold the main uprights. And finally you reach the turtle sculpture. I had been expecting it quite small so I was surprised to find it close to 10 meters across. This …

Light Painting Workshop May 4th and 5th

Published by

Another quick announcement. On May 4th and 5th Trevor Williams is returning to Okinawa to teach a 2- day Light Painting Workshop. Come join me for two nights of fun and photography. I would like to introduce the magic of light painting and night photography. The first night we will be covering long exposure and night photography essentials. Learn how to make an image rather than take an image. Use time and light to build up your picture from a black canvas in to exactly what you envisioned. You’ll then be prepared for the second night which will focus on light painting and other creative techniques. I will reveal some of my secrets and show you step by step how to create amazing light paintings. You’ll also learn how to make custom tools and use them creatively. Light painting and night photography has a certain magic about it. When the shutter closes you will find your self running back to the camera to see what you have captured. Friends and family will be stunned by …

Going Retro Mini Workshop

Published by

Just a quick announcement so people can put the date in the diary. Trevor Williams will be holding a “Going Retro” mini workshop on May 3rd 2012. Trevor will take people through the process of creating the look, setting up lighting, image selection and then editing. Time is 6PM to 10PM. Location is my home / studio in Uruma City, Okinawa. Class fee is US$50. I will start taking bookings for places in March.