costa rica, sept 2000
   

We only spent a day diving this trip and I only shot one role of film, diving was a bit rough since I wasn't prepared for the water being so cold.

The bay at sugar beach just north of Tamarindo, which was teaming with life, averaged 50 feet in depth.  We hit a nasty 20o thermo at about 35 feet down, and over the next 6 or 7 feet water temperatures dropped from 75o to 55o,  no kidding.  It was shocking to pass through and with my thin wet suit, it was to cold for me.  My dive profile consisted of swimming back and forth through the thermo, staying below for a couple minutes at a time then popping up and warming up, then back down for more.  Below the thermo visibility was crystal clear, but above it a foggy 15 feet at best.  Below the thermo was a eerie narrow passage beneath a glowing ceiling.  Light seamed to come from everywhere, and nowhere at the same time. I did attempt to capture this amazing scene in a photo but failed, no photo could do it justice anyway. Seeing a guitar ray was a great treat. I've heard them called elephant rays and from the picture it's easy to see why.

 

©2000 - david doyle wavywaves studio - all rights reserved