Striped Marlin feeding on baitballs I just returned from a wildly successful photography expedition and have something very cool to share with you: brand
new underwater pictures of striped marlin. Not struggling on a fisherman’s line, but totally wild and free, lording it over the blue. Quality underwater photos of these majestic gamefish are very rare. I was fortunate enough to finally find myself in the middle of amazing
baitball action with dozens of
billfish on the hunt. Displaying remarkable agility and speed, the excited, neon-flashing "stripies" rocket into the spinning mass of sardines and mackerel, slashing with spear-like bills to separate, stun, and then swallow one unlucky baitfish at a time. Photographing these eight-foot long menacing "superfish" hunting in the open ocean was one of my career highlights. (
More photos of marlin feeding on sardine baitballs )
Fiji While it's undeniable that many of the world's
coral reefs are suffering, it's wonderful to find some which go against the tide and are as healthy, or healthier, than I remember fifteen years back. On a ten day extended live-aboard diving cruise through
Fiji's Bligh Waters and beyond, Melissa and I joined close friends and fellow photographers and experienced colorful coral nirvana. (
New photographs of colorful soft corals and pristine hard coral reefs from Fiji )
Orcamania in my blood 5am wake-ups and 100 mile plus days on the water in my little boat under a scorching sun is the price I must pay for a few minutes alone with
Killer Whales, my ancestral totem animal. (
New high resolution stock photos of Orca whales breaching, spyhopping, at sunset, etc )
California August found me tangled in the golden clutches of Southern California
kelp forests, and racing alongside herds of
Common Dolphins. Meeting up with old dive buddies to revisit old stomping grounds, we photographed Giant Black Sea Bass, San Clemente Island's reefs,
blue whales, and more. (
New underwater images of marine life from the Channel Islands )
South Australia I ventured Down Under to throw myself into the middle of 1) a mating frenzy of
Giant Australian Cuttlefish, and 2) a swirling million-dollar mass of
Bluefin Tuna. Great new pictures of alien invaders and endangered sushi. (
New underwater digital photos of Southern Bluefin Tuna and behavior shots of Australian Giant Cuttlefish )
Mangroves As part of my commitment to diversify and photograph some new subjects in 2008, I visited Bimini Bahamas to work in the
mangroves alongside
shark researchers. A fascinating shoot! (
New lemon shark photos taken in mangrove habitat and images of marine biologists at work )
To view our complete photography library of underwater photographs and marine wildlife, please link to our
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Sport Diver Magazine, May 09 issue, showing scuba diver alongside colorful coral wall, Komodo National Park, Indonesia. See more Indonesia underwater stock photos from this expedition on our web site.
National Geographic Extreme Explorer Magazine, April 09 issue, showing great white shark from Guadalupe, Mexico. See more underwater pictures of great white sharks on our web site.
Tauchen Magazine, April 09 issue, Europe's largest circulation scuba diving publication featuring Cole's brand new wild striped marlin image. See more dramatic marlin photography available for licensing on our web site.
