4/26/ Maui pics (include a coral spawn)

[Gilligan]

Today's boat dives were with "Mike Severns Diving".
The first of the two dives was at Molokini Crater where I had the rare opportunity to witness Cauliflower Coral spawning. Clouds of sperm and eggs burst up from the corals at various intervals and only from the Cauliflower Corals.
This event occurrs only in April and May for two or three days after each full moon, in the mornings, at the same time each day, and only for a very short period of time.

VIEW PHOTOS

 

[Wolverine]

Love the pompom crab! we call em' boxing crabs in our part of the world

 

[SeaYoda]

I've been missing your pics. Love the spawning pics. I saw something strange in the top right corner of your first spawning pic, a face. Maybe you can sell it on Ebay ?

 

[Jetwrench]

Great pics, Jim!

Anything you did out of the usual for shooting coral spawning? I may get a chance to do the same in Bonaire next fall.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Great pictures!!! I miss Maui. I was there May of 2003 while the coral was spawning.

 

[coop85]

Great shots! The lighting on the crabs is excellent.

 

[Gilligan]

Love the pompom crab! we call em' boxing crabs in our part of the world

They are also known as "Boxer Crabs" in the Hoover "Hawaii Sea Creatures" book.

 

[Gilligan]

Great pics, Jim!

Anything you did out of the usual for shooting coral spawning? I may get a chance to do the same in Bonaire next fall.

I shot all the coral spawning pics without a strobe in the 'Manual White Balance' mode at F4.0 and 1/60 then post processed them in PS7. I was in about 30 feet of water at Reef's End, Molokini.

 

[justleesa]

Very nice pictures Jim!

Hey Yoda...I think we've started something new - What else can you see??

 

[cardzard]

Great pics Jim
Thanks for the tip no strobe and W/B for the spawn. We will be in Bonaire later this year to see a coral spawn I just might be able to use it.