Alert Diver Category: Life Aquatic

Way below where the light touches, live interesting marine critters — some would even say creepy. Read more about what lurks beneath the darkness.

Her legs move quickly as she scrambles over the sand toward a large coral reef. It’s a bold and risky move, as the expanses of sand between coral patches are full of predators waiting to take advantage of a lone spiny lobster. 

Do you know which marine animal can camouflage the fastest and most effectively? (It can change in one fifth of a second!) Hint: It has eight long tentacles.

Spawning is greatly influenced by the moon’s phases and greatly changes the spawning fish’s behaviors. Learn more about spawning.

In November 2021 I was diving on the HMHS Letitia shipwreck in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, one of Canada’s Maritime provinces. The British hospital ship, which lies near a gray seal colony, ran aground and sank in 1917 while returning from Liverpool, England, with wounded Canadian soldiers. 

Crocodiles are apex predators, and in the wrong place and time, humans are potential prey. There are exceptions, but most of these wonderful and primitive reptiles won’t squander encountering a potential meal. When swimming in any reptile habitat, know who and what you may encounter, or don’t swim at all. The resident American crocodiles at Jardines de la Reina routinely share their waters with snorkelers and divers, but Jen Hayes didn’t feel the same comfort working in Nile crocodile waters in Botswana.

Sounds can be found underneath the waves. A variety of marine organisms employ complex organs to both create and distinguish sounds. The perception of noise underwater is not necessarily a simple thing, but since sound travels so efficiently underwater, numerous marine creatures have developed methods of sensing it.

Our group of six researchers back rolled off the vessel near Jupiter, Florida, and began our descent to the sandy bottom nearly 80 feet (24 meters) below. As the wreck became visible, our team streamlined into formation to begin our task: searching for goliath groupers. 

Shark diving has grown in popularity and North Carolina boasts incredible opportunities for divers to get up-close-and-personal.

As you drop into water as black as night, thousands of pulsating squid in search of mates suddenly surround you. Mating activity is everywhere as multiple males attack single females. The excited squids’ chromatophores (pigment cells) flash colors reminiscent of a Las Vegas neon sign and put you in the middle of a living, moving light show. The action is so frenetic that animals are in your gear and bounce off every inch of your body.