TWARS (This Week at Reef Seekers) - November 17-24, 2024

[Ken Kurtis]

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​ Disco Worm, Divers rescued, and more (please scroll down for details)​

​ It's nice to be writing this from home for once . . . BACK FROM PALAU - This trip was the definition of "persevere in the face of adversity." We had cancelled flights to deal with, missed connections, camera issues, and careless divers endangering others as well. Whew!!! And I talk about it - extensively - in the trip report, which was sent out earlier today. But you can also pick and choose what you read. If you don't care about the plane issues, skip the first part and go to the diving. If you're not a photog, you can pass on the camera stuff. But please make sure you read the careless diver part because I think there are good lesson there for anyone. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT- If you didn't see the afternoon e-mail, here are the links: Trip report: http://www.reefseekers.com/PIXPAGES/Palau%202024/Palau%202024%20trip%20report.html SmugMug slideshow: PALAU - NOVEMBER 3-10,2024 - kenkurtishttps://kenkurtis.smugmug.com/DIVE-TRIP-PHOTOS-ALL/2024-DIVE-TRIPS/PALAU-NOVEMBER-3-102024 30-second "Fish Flossing" video (shot by Jay Wilson): https://youtu.be/z7aYet0h11Y MY FAVORITE PIX - Because of my camera issues, I didn't shoot as many shots as I normally do on a trip, but I especially like these: (1) Signal Goby - Note the coloration on the dorsal fins as well as the coloration on the lower fins; (2) Clown Triggerfish - I just love these colorful guys and they're really hard to shoot because they tend to both be standoffish and, from a photo perspective, it's hard to get a good exposure when something is both black and white; and (3) Decorated Dartfish - Hard to find, very skittish, and it's very unusual for them to be facing you as they normally keep a sideways orientation.​

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​ EASTER ISLAND IS NEXT (MARCH OF 2025) - I'm just putting the finishing touches on the info including the flight times and such that we'll need to get there. Those of you who have already told me you're going will get an e-mail from me in the next day or so. And if you'd like to join the second week (first week is sold out), let me know and I'll forward you the info as well. AQUA COLOR FIX - We had a couple of people shooting with smartphones on this trip and that seems to be more and more the rage as many mfgs are coming out with housings for phones. If you're shooting with your phone, give some though to a color-correction program that one of the divers on our trip had. It's called AquaColorFix. Wow!!! It works on both stills and videos and does an amazing job. Best of all, you can download a free version of the app to try it out and if you like it (you will) you can buy it for a flat $30. Looks like it only works on phones for now but I'm hoping they'll create a desktop version soon. This is their website and the samples in their gallery are similar to the real-world results we got while on the trip: https://www.aquacolorfix.com/about/ HAWAIIAN DIVERS RESCUED - Nothing like surfacing only to realize your dive boat's nowhere to be found. Five divers were rescued by a passing sailboat but the story gets a bit weird because it seems like, even though they were well overdue and known to be missing, the dive boat captain never notified the Coast Guard. You can read more about it here and come to your own conclusions: DRIFTING DIVERS IN HAWAII. HAIL TO THE DISCO WORM - We saw a "disco clam" while in Palau. Now there's a "disco worm" that's been spotted in Chile. It's actually a type of Bristleworm and shimmers and glows a bit while moving. Play the video in the article and you'll see what I'm describing: DISCO WORM ON THE SAND. And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving together somewhere soon!!! - Ken​