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
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.
The ponies are Yonaguni’s most famous residents. They live on the cliff tops, huddling against the wind and rain that lashes the island.
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 …
A few iPhone photos from Yonaguni. Hammerhead sharks and the underwater ruins of a lost civilization.
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 …
A second test dive with the underwater camera housing at Kadena Steps. Shawn “Shellman” Miller performed the role of dive buddy, model,gear checker, and snake charmer. Luxurious shower facilities are available at all dive locations 😉
Spirobranchus giganteus, commonly known as Christmas tree worms, are small, tube-building polychaete worms belonging to the family Serpulidae (Wikipedia). Each worm has two Christmas tree like structures that are used for both feeding and respiration. If you move too close to the worm they rapidly retract back into the coral. (In the movie Avatar some of the plants on the alien world behaved in a similar fashion.) These were shot with the K5 and the fisheye lens. The lens isn’t designed for macro work, but you can still get some interesting wide-angle close-up images.
Cherry blossoms are out in Okinawa. At Nakijin Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, cherry blossoms and surrounding trees are illuminated for a few nights in early February. It’s called the Cherry Blossom Festival, but due to the lighting, it appears to be celebrating giant broccoli.
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 