My first Underwater videos - GoPro Hero HD

[GoAnywherePhoto]

A trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculatus, and a spotted drum, Equetus punctatus, filmed with my GoPro video camera while snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea.

 

[GoAnywherePhoto]

A Gray Angelfish, Pomacanthus arcutatus, recorded with my GoPro video camera while snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea.

 

[GoAnywherePhoto]

An encounter with an endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, while snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea recorded with my GoPro Camera.

I think this is the coolest one for me yet.

 

[NeptunusRex]

Nice, Is this Gitmo?

 

[Big fish63]

you did a great job annoying that turtle

 

[GoAnywherePhoto]

Nice, Is this Gitmo?

Yes, this is GTMO. Great water.

 

[GoAnywherePhoto]

you did a great job annoying that turtle

Thanks for the praise, it's always great to hear from others that I did a good job.

As for the turtle, it was unharmed and not frightened - they can move much faster than that when they want to. The second turtle we saw a little while later wanted nothing to do with us and we left it that way.

It is not uncommon to see several types of turtles here, some keep their distance, some come close for a look and some will swim right along side you for a bit.

For someone who grew up about as far from saltwater as you can get in he USA, things like this were always far-off and I thought that sharing what was a special encounter for me might just make a few people think about them just a bit more. I still consider being hunted for their meat and shells, beachside development and lights, entanglement/entrapment in commercial fishing gear and litter as bigger threats than I am. Thanks for the swift kick to the nuts.

As for pushing your ideals onto others, you might want to try a less sarcastic approach next time.

 

[NAIBdiver1]

I see from your profile that you are a new diver (0 -24). I would encourage you to refrain from touching animals or reef. Otherwise good vid for first try

 

[olphart]

Touching has become pretty much taboo in the diving community.
This goes for wrecks, reefs, animals, coral, anything alive, or that could be damaged by handling.
Many Caribbean dive ops won't allow gloves of any kind on their dives. In Cozumel, I believe a dive op can get in trouble for allowing it. They're considered a no-no because they encourage touching, which has become a big no-no on the reefs. You're also much less likely to stick bare fingers in places you shouldn't.
A DM on a trip in Grand Cayman made her ire clear without actually naming names or glaring at the photog who touched coral(?) to stabilize for a shot, rather than bouyancy control.
In the Galapagos, you don't ever want to be caught touching any marine animal. I understand that the result is swift and severe.
I've been criticized for following turtles too closely.

 

[SharkDZ]

Nice vids!