Blackwater diving is an otherworldly experience not to be missed. Jeff Milisen an expert on the subject of blackwater photography and has just released a new field guide to the world of blackwater marine life in Hawai’i.
Every night the worlds greatest migration of animal life occurs when small planktonic marine life swim upwards towards the light. The creatures are attracted by light of the moon or in this case scuba diving video lights.
You can find all sorts of strange creatures range in size from baby squids smaller than a pinky nail to forty-foot long jellyfish called siphonophores. Some of these creatures are delicate enough to be destroyed by bubbles while others are muscular, fast, and sometimes even dangerous.
Some spend their whole lives drifting near the surface, while others eventually settle on the bottom or venture freely between deep and shallow water. Schools of exotic squids and marvelous larval fishes are normal in the middle of the ocean. As strange as these animals seem to us, they help form the dominant community covering over seventy percent of the earth’s surface.
The animals in this book were recorded mostly in Kona Hawai’i, know as the birthplace and world headquarters for blackwater diving and. Kona’s proximity to deep water and favorable ocean conditions make Hawai‘i the perfect place for blackwater diving, but divers can also visit places such as Florida, the Philippines, Indonesia, and even Papua New Guinea to see many similar animals.
Blackwater Diving in Hawai‘i is designed to satisfy the curious ocean aficionado by presenting beautiful photos and information on over 300 strange pelagic animals, most of which you won’t find in a standard field guide to reef animals. This book is intended to present an overview of life in the open ocean at night.
“Each epipelagic creature is given five minutes in the spotlight to explore a little of what we know about them. It is my hope that this will make plankton identification more available and palatable to the general public. In addition to my photos and some basic research on each organism, I have sprinkled my own observations throughout.”
Available for pre-order at www.mutualpublishing.com at special price $15.99 (retail $19.95)
