Scuba Diver/Asian Diver

Sri Lanka’s waters are home to countless rare and unique marine creatures, including sperm whales, Bryde’s whales, Eden’s whales, Omura’s whales, Cuvier beaked whales, pilot whales, whale sharks, and various species of dolphins and turtles. We once even spotted a pod of killer whales. But nothing compares to seeing a blue whale. “Blue whales hold just about every record for animal size. They are also larger than any dinosaur ever was” I vividly remember my first encounter when I jumped into the water with only one fin in Sri Lanka. I was so excited. Diving alongside a blue whale is definitely one of my life’s most amazing experiences. My first encounter with these magnificent giants was in 2016 and it became an annual affair ever since. My last visit to Sri Lanka…

It was only on our 16th dive that we first saw something bigger than ourselves in the ocean. We had descended to the “Cathedral” in the clear warm waters of Fiji, the perfect place for us as new divers to have our first “real” shark encounter. It wasn’t long before that feeling arose. It’s hard to explain, but every diver knows it – the feeling that something much bigger than you is near, but you can’t yet see it. Soon, a number of dark shadows emerged, slinking their way through the water column. Their shape and colossal size soon revealed their identity as not one, but six “friendly” Fiji tiger sharks. Our hearts, which were calm moments earlier, began beating faster, and although our breathing quickened, surprisingly we felt far more…

It is 1963 at Aldinga beach, 50 kilometres south of Adelaide, South Australia, and Rodney Fox, the South Australian Spearfishing Champion, signals he is in trouble. Rodney’s blood quickly taints the water. His aggressor: a great white shark. With 462 stitches to his chest, right hand, and arm, including 92 to his hand alone, the incident is regarded as one of the most severe shark encounters ever to be survived by a human. Fast forward almost 60 years later, and here we are on Rodney’s shark expedition ship – the MV Rodney Fox. At the ship’s stern, two shark cages beg to enter the blue. The soft morning light gives them a sinister yet ethereal beauty, resembling some kind of strange adult water park. A ROLE IN HOLLYWOOD Designing the world’s first two-man…

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions cater for both qualified scuba divers and non-scuba qualified guests aboard the 32-metre MV Rodney Fox. Qualified divers enjoy the benefit of the ocean floor cage, which is lowered to a depth of 15 to 25 metres depending on the seafloor, while non-qualified guests can view the sharks from the surface cage. It is important to note that sharks are attracted via the use of bait, predominantly tuna gills sourced as waste from the local tuna farming industry. Without baiting, you would not be able to get this close to great white sharks in these waters. In reality, the sharks are never fed. Strict regulations limit the amount of bait that can be used each day, and the intentional feeding of great white sharks in these waters…

Anita Verde and Peter Marshall have a passion for the planet’s wild places, and through their images and narratives hope to inspire better appreciation and protection of the natural world. Based in Melbourne, Australia, they have professional backgrounds in tourism strategy, environmental sustainability, and government relations. When they are not underwater or on a mountaintop, they also work professionally as strategic consultants, advising governments and industry on sustainable destination planning and development, investment attraction, government relations, brand strategy and marketing. Read more about them at www.summitstoseasphotography.com.…

It was the last day of an incredible Tonga whale trip aboard the well-known dive vessel Nai’a. The sea had turned rough, the winds blustery. After cruising all morning, hoping for one last encounter, we had finally given up and began packing away our gear. Then, there came the familiar cry: “Whales!” What appeared to be several whales, with perhaps a mother and calf, had been spotted in the distance. With 45 minutes to spare, several of us jumped at the chance of an encounter and sped off. As we approached, the water became alive with splashing, jostling whales – two males were fighting over a female with her calf in tow. We entered the water and approached the melee cautiously. The calf, disturbed by the aggressive behaviour of its mother’s…