The Coral Reef Restoration Project in Pemuteran Bay, Bali Indonesia was started in 2000 with four initial underwater structures and now includes over 70 structures. This project shows the potential for reef restoration in locations that have traditionally had difficulty getting local fisherman and communities to support efforts to return a reef to health. The project has been replicated in numerous locations across Asia and may hold the potential to be more commercially utilized by bringing business interests together with those of local communities. Come explore this wonderful site located on the island of Bali, one of my favorite places on earth.

Landscapes, seascapes and other inspiring images from Europe, Asia, England, France, Australia, China, Thailand, Denmark, California, Bangkok, Texas, Bali, and others including famous landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, Nyhavn Canal, Palo Duro Canyon and others. High quality print and stock images.

Mala Pier has to be the best shore dive on Maui and a great spot for underwater photography. It is hard to believe that not very many visiting scuba divers know about this Maui dive site. It can be accessed from land (enter on the west side of the old pier if you are more adventuresome, or enter via the boat ramp, but watch for boats) or from a dive boat. Typically, if you are diving on the Carthaginian II, Maui Divers will bring you to this site as a second dive. This is one dive that is not to be missed and can be followed up with a great dinner in Lahina. This is a great spot for underwater photography and is certainly one of my favorite scuba diving sites on Maui. So whether you are looking for pictures of fish or new shark photos this is a great dive. For a complete review of the dive site see my blog http://blog.stevenwsmeltzer.com/2012/01/08/scuba-diving-mala-pier/

Scuba diving and underwater photography go hand in hand whether you are in the beautiful Cayman Islands, Hawaiian Islands, the Red Sea or the coast of California. Come explore shipwrecks such as the majestic USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman or the Carthaginian II in Maui, Hawaii along with magnificent coral reefs from around the world.

The coral reefs in Bali on Menjangan Island hosts some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Menjangan Island has been a marine preserve and protected by the Balinese government for a number of years. The island is also fairly isolated in that once you arrive at the airport you have to travel 4 to 6 hours by car to get to the resorts close to the island. This means their are few divers that explore this marvelous site that is rich with all types of marine species and you can also on special occasions come across large pelagic species such as the whale shark. Menjangan Island, in the northwest of Bali, is where diving first really started on the island back in about 1978, under the sponsorship of the Indonesian Navy, when it arranged a get-together of the country’s main diving clubs including Possi, Ganesha, Nusantara & Triskati. That lead to Menjangan Island establishing itself as the premier dive location in Bali and many of the attendees went on to become the pioneers of commercial dive operations across Indonesia. About a year later the Liberty wreck was explored for the first time since it had slipped down the slope at Tulamben in March 1963 and Menjangan Island was soon relegated to the background of Bali diving. Menjangan Island is part of the 19,000 hectare West Bali, Bali Barat, National Park that was first established in 1982. However, the island was made a game reserve by the Balinese Council of Kings in 1950 and has been fairly well protected ever since. Both the relative difficulty of getting to the Menjangan Island from the normal tourist spots on Bali plus the fact that the site has been relatively protected since 1950 has resulted in a coral reef that is both vibrant and flourishing around the island. The Liberty wreck in Tulamben is also still a favorite dive site, but has a very high amount of diver traffic and the site has predictably shown quite a bit of wear and tear. You can reach the dive sites via boats off the coast of Pemuteran Bay in front of the dive resorts or a boat from Banyuwedang Bay or perhaps the boat service run by the parks service. If you are staying at one of the resorts around Pemuteran Bay, taking the boat in front of your resort is the way to go. The boat trip is about 30 to 40 minutes and the seas are usually fairly flat as the area around Menjangan Island is fairly well protected. Diving is quite good year round and even in the rainy winter season the visibility is normally quite clear. The island is not big and does not have any fresh water and does not have much runoff that will impact visibility. There can be some current on various sites around the island so you may dive some of the sites as drift dives. However, do not worry, as the current is typically not too strong. Just remember to listen to the instructions of your dive master. Enjoy the gallery, the pool is open...

Scuba Diving in Grand Cayman is something special. The magnificent walls, the USS Kittiwake, spectacular corals on the north side, and upper west side, easy access and warm water makes this a marvelous place for scuba diving. Whether you are an aggressive technical diver or a recreational diver, there is something for you in Grand Cayman. The variety of marine species and topography provides every type of diver with what they want. With boat rides of 10 to 30 minutes to the dive site you can become easily spoiled to the warm, friendly and inviting waters of this Caribbean paradise. See my blog http://blog.stevenwsmeltzer.com for information on specific dive sites and other information.

Pictures from favorite dive sites in the Hawaiian Islands from diving with the Giant Oceanic Manta Rays on the Big Island of Hawaii to favorite sites in Maui, Lania, and Molokai. See my blog http://blog.stevenwsmeltzer.com for detailed dive site reviews and other information

Diving amongst the giant kelp forests makes quite a unique dive especially for an underwater photographer. In Southern California the visibility can be challenging but the results still amazing. There are also a number of shipwrecks in the San Diego area and a wide variety of marine life from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Underwater images featuring coral reefs, fish pictures, sea turtles, sharks, ship wrecks, sea sponges, hard and soft corals and crustaceans, from Hawaii, the Caribbean, Asia, Australia and many other places around the world. Underwater photographs available in high-quality print and stock images.

Underwater images of fish, shipwrecks, moray eels, anemone, shrimp, coral reefs and scuba divers including black durgons, silversides, white tipped reef sharks, trumpet fish and more from Hawaii, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and Asia. High quality print and stock photos.

Rest well your work is finally done No more the ocean to roam No more to fight the storm and sea Rest well beneath the waves The USS Kittiwake - http://blog.stevenwsmeltzer.com/dive-site-reviews-and-listings/dive-sites/scuba-diving-grand-cayman-uss-kittiwake-shipwreck/ - has been on the reef in Grand Cayman for 12+ months. I took this trip to see how the site was progressing and to complete a photo survey of the ship. See the complete photo gallery at Steven W Smeltzer / USS Kittiwake or visit my blog and read more on the USS Kittiwake. The USS Kittiwake is a Chanticleer Class Submarine Rescue Ship. . It was launched on July 10, 1945 and commissioned as the USS Kittiwake (ASR-013). She was decommissioned September 30, 1994 and struck from the Naval Register September 30, 1994. There are 5 decks on the 47 foot tall Kittiwake. Externally, the crow's nest, mast and large stern a-frame have been cut down and remounted to make her height suitable for Cayman waters. The upper decks accommodate the 2 bridges along with the radio and navigation room. The Captain and XO's quarters are also located on the upper decks. Below the main deck, 2 decks exist that include the crews quarter, medic/hospital station, engine and propulsion rooms, air bank storage and compressors, as well as the steering gear, shaft, gyro, ammunition lockers, cold storage and barber shop to name a few areas. The Kittiwake has been opened up with large access holes both vertically and horizontally, to provide safe and easy access to virtually every space on the ship.