Here I go, back underwater. It is so calming below the waves. Once I dip below the surface all the noise above is quickly gone, and I start to hear new noises from below. There are distant humpback whales singing their mating songs, parrot fish crunching off pieces of coral, and a constant rice crispy 'snap crackle pop' noise, which is made my thousands of little snapping shrimp living among the corals of the reef.
I always say it is a good day when you get to go in the ocean. Some people won't experience that their entire life. And today was a very good day. There were big schools of fish, tiny nudibranchs and moray eels, and beautiful visibility which is great for photography.
Come along with me on a circumnavigation of the island of Lana'i, and four snorkel spots along the way.
These are pelagic predator fish swooping by the shallow reef looking for a morning snack. A very unusual site.
A yellow margin moray eel only showing its face. The rest of its 5ft long body is hidden deep in the crevice of rock and coral.
A green sea turtle slowly glides right over the top of me. I look up just in time to snap this wide angle shot as it passed only feet away from my head.
This moorish idol seems to be enjoying the day.
An ornate butterflyfish shines brightly against the black spiny sea urchins moving around the coral.
Soldierfish hide in the shadows of this underwater cave during the day and come out at night.
Beautiful red slate pencil urchins.
I always love photographing turtles. Especially when they are diving down after taking in oxygen at the surface. The surface all looks so ethereal behind them.
A trembling nudibranch, which is a kind of sea slug. Almost as small as a fingernail.
Freediving down to the reef and all of its creatures.
So many people wonder what might be hidden down below.
It can be quite beautiful and peaceful down here.
With teeny tiny creatures like this dwarf moral eel...about the size of a number 2 pencil.
Or almost as big as a human, like this 300lbs sea turtle.
My buddy on top, Ben, and my other friend below, Kelly.
A school of convict tangs and surgeonfish with a trumpet fish hiding right in the middle. Can you find him?
Kelly freediving down to a cave....80ft down.
And she made it back up!
This cave is a little bit shallower, so I followed for a photo.
You can check out the island of Lana'i here on pinmapple.com
-Dai Mar