Ocean Stories
A year after becoming a dive instructor, it’s time to reminisce about the two islands connected to my diving journey.
Rarotonga
One of the volcanic islands that make up the pacific Cook Islands, Rarotonga is surrounded by a coral reef, home to many amazing, colourful creatures. From those 1cm in size to coconut crabs bigger than your hand, the sandy beaches there hold more hermit crabs than you can imagine.
Let me take you to the beach…
A beach in Rarotonga
‘Daydreaming along the sandy beach, the Pacific Ocean stretching to the right, as far as the eye can see… Look closely at the horizon and, if you’re lucky, you might spot a whale blow.
Watch where you step!
Constant scurrying movements in the sand with each footstep. Dozens of minute hermit crabs rushing to get out of the way as they go about their days, searching for food, or a new shell to call home.’
Original Hermit Crab Watercolour, based on a 1cm hermit crab seen in Rarotonga.
Each of my paintings and illustrations have a story behind them, many inspired by the marine life I encountered on my trips to the beautiful island.
‘Snorkel out across the shallow waters to the edge of the reef, pausing on the way to watch the tiny black and white damsel fish darting in and out of their coral homes. Swim slowly through the coral mazes, spotting parrot fish, trunkfish, and if you’re lucky an octopus. Float as still as you can and the curious fish may swim nearer and nearer, enabling you to see their shimmering scales and transparent fins close up. Stay out in the water until you start to shiver and have to drag your eyes away. On your return to shore, you spot a camouflaged pufferfish, seeming as though they have a shy little smile on their face. Return to the same spot day after day to see the same little fish going about their daily lives, you may even spot that octopus and pufferfish again.’
Odd Shaped Swimmers Original Watercolour
Utila
Utila, one of the Bay Islands, Honduras, is renowned for its reefs and marine inhabitants. Having completed most of my scuba diving qualifications here, it holds a special place in my heart.
A little glimpse at life on Utila…
A Utilan sunset
‘Fresh papaya and pineapple for an early breakfast before heading out on one of the dive boats, Dive to the sandy bottom and seek out the tiny creatures hiding at the edges of the coral, Translucent Pedersen’s Cleaner Shrimp and spindly Arrow Crabs are often found here. Master your buoyancy and slowly hold out your fingers, and the cleaner shrimp may bob and bounce their way over to you and have a little pick and nibble of your fingernails!
Catch some rays on the boat deck during your surface interval and keep your eyes peeled for whalesharks and dolphins skimming the waves.
Look around as soon as you drop back in the water, you may see an Eagle ray leisurely swimming by, the magical patterns of the sun’s rays through the ocean’s surface reflecting on their backs. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled in the shallow coral, you may spot a tiny tiny boxfish, affectionately known as a ‘sea pea’. They really are pea sized!
Return to shore for a post-dive pastelito or some banana bread and be ready to do it all over again tomorrow.’
Pedersen’s Cleaner Shrimp Original Watercolour
I believe that by encouraging others to appreciate the world around us a little more, it will help protect the precious planet we call home.
One way to do this is to showcase the creatures I love. Butterflyfish and angelfish are indeed beautiful fish, but some of my favourite are the really weird looking ones! Boxfish and trunkfish, have almost triangular shaped bodies and pouty looking mouths. They always make me smile underwater. I’ve yet to paint a scorpionfish, batfish, hairy frogfish, or even nudibranchs, so maybe you’ll see a painting or pattern of them soon!
Scuba diving in Utila
