Coral Diversity of the Gardens of the Queen Cuba

Earlier this year we had the opportunity to visit the Gardens of the Queen Cuba in order to document coral diversity. We came up with a few weirdo corals, which are still a mystery to be solved… but all in…

Up Close And Personal With Caribbean Coral Macro Photography

Caribbean Coral Macro Photography It’s easy to swim right past coral colonies while scuba diving. Perhaps you notice their shape or stature, but few divers will get up close and personal and start observing corals at a macro level. Depending…

Top 10 Corals to Spot in the Gardens of the Queen, Cuba

Coral Spotting in Cuba Gardens of the Queen, a protected archipelago off the southern coast of Cuba, is renowned for their healthy population of sharks and mature fish. But coral diversity in the park can be just as spectacular, especially…

5 Seas Dive Site Cuba – The Perfect Balance of Corals and Fish

5 Seas was one of the most memorable dive sites in the Gardens of the Queen Cuba. The curious groupers stole my heart, and I found quite a few exceptional coral colonies, making this a perfectly balanced dive between corals…

WATCH: The Most Curious Grouper, My Favorite Dive Experience in Cuba

Curious Grouper I went to the Gardens of the Queen in search of rare corals, but little did I know, I would be leaving with a crush on a grouper. The curious groups in the Gardens of the Queen are fins…

Magnificent Elkhorn Coral Habitat, Gardens of the Queen, Cuba

Acropora palmata, the Elkhorn Coral, is the king of all Caribbean Coral Reef species. Acropora palmata grows into thick robust branches and is the most important reef-building species in the Caribbean. Acropora palmata was once a dominant species in the Caribbean but unfortunately, there has…

Reef Walls, Sharks, Tarpons, and More! Los Mogotes Dive Site, Cuba

Los Mogotes Dive Site If I had to pick a favorite dive site in Cuba’s Gardens of the Queen, Los Mogotes would definitely make it into the top three. As I edit my way through my Cuban photo collection, Los…

Scolymia Coral Spotting in the Gardens of the Queen, Cuba

Scolymia Coral Spotting Scolymia is a large polyp coral species that lives a solitary life. There are two species of Caribbean Scolymia, the larger Scolymia lacera, and smaller Scolymia cubensis and you can learn to identify both by clicking the links above. While…

Scuba Diving With Silky Sharks In Cuba

Silky Sharks – Gardens of the Queen Picture this, your dive boat approaches a buoy where shallow turquoise reef drops off to meet deep dark azure blue. The captain turns off the engine and ties up. Within seconds, sleek gray shadows…

Gramma dejongi Thoroughly Documented on Wild Cuban Reefs [Video]

There’s no question that the (relatively) newly described Gramma dejongi is one of the most exciting and beautiful reef fish discovered in the last decade. We’ve waxed poetic about every detail of this fish, seeing it for the first time,…