Life In The Shallows

New Caledonia, South Pacific 2024

There is troll-binding world hidden beneath the waves. This place, filled with beauty, fascination and surprises, is always calling for me.

As much as I love taking the scuba gear on, I love the simplicity and freedom freediving and snorkelling provide. All one need to start exploring the incredible underwater world is a mask and snorkel.

 

 

In this blogpost I´d like to share some shallow water beauties from the New Caledonian lagoon. The majority of the pictures are taken just a couple of meters below the surface, only the photos of the turtle, rays and nurse shark are from 5-7 meters depth.

 

So here are some of our many aquatic friends, how they commonly are called in english, and their latin names:

Blue-green chromis (Chromis viridis)

 

Surf parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus)

 

Zebra shark/Leopard shark  (Stegostoma fasciatum)

 

Bluelined snapper (Lutjanus kasmira)

 

 Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus)

 

Fringelip mullet (Crenimugil crenilabis)

 

New Caledonian sea krait (Laticauda saintgironsi)

 

Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)

 

Pink whipray (Pateobatis fai)

 

Ocellated eagle ray (Aetobatus ocellatus)

 

Tawny nurse shark (Nebrius ferrugineus)

 

 

 

Where The Ocean Meets The Lagoon

New Caledonia, Coral Sea, South Pacific 2024

 

New Caledonia is home to the world's largest lagoon, a natural jewel classified as a UNESCO world heritage site.

 

 

The reef systems enclosing the lagoon are considered to be the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

With a length of 1,600 km it is the longest continuous barrier reef in the world and home to an exceptional diversity of marine life.

 

 

New Caledonia is a windy place all year round, making the the calm days at the exposed barrier reef precious. This is where the ocean meets the lagoon and from where the breaking waves can be heard from afar.

 

Where the ocean meets the lagoon, where deep water creatures, pelagic life and lagoon inhabitants can be spotted.

 

During our previous visits at the reef, we had, among plenty fish and reef sharks, the privilege of a brief but sweet meeting with a hammerhead shark while freediving, and during our scuba dive we had huge, old loggerhead turtles joining us at the depth.

The magical underwater world calls for more… 💙

 

 

South Georgia & Falkland Islands

South Georgia & The Falkland Islands, January 2024

After a wonderful time among ice and wildlife in the remote waters of the Antarctic Peninsula, we make our way north, giving a brief visit to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Here are some few pictures from these amazing islands and of some of its stunning wildlife.

These first photos are from South Georgia with King penguins, Antarctic fur seals and Elephant seal (laying in the water).

 

 

And then the Falkland Islands in the company of Black-browed albatross, Southern rockhopper penguin and Gentoo penguin. 

 

New Year South of the Antarctic Circle

Antarctica, January 2024

New year was spent south of the Antarctic circle, where penguins, whales, seals and impressive ice bergs keep us company.

Here are some impressions from down south... the creatures on the photos are Adélie penguin, Humpback whale and Weddell seal.