Of the 8 islands that make up Micronesia, Palau just like Chuuk Lagoon is famous for it’s World class Scuba diving. However, the 70 odd marine lakes scattered throughout the limestone “rock islands” of the southern portion of the main Palau archipelago are a great way for non-divers to get a glimpse of some interesting underwater life by just snorkeling on the surface. One lake in particular, draws a lot of attention as being unique- The Jellyfish Lake also known as Ongeim’l Tketau in Palauan.

In a freak incident of nature over 12,000 years ago, a submerged reef rose from the sea creating a landlocked saltwater lake containing some Jellyfish. These intelligent creatures over the years adapted into the Scyphozoa class of jellyfish called ‘Golden Jellyfish’ and ‘Moon Jellyfish’, they lost their sting and thrived in the new environment. In a matter of years the lake was home to millions of golden and moon jellyfish along with some sea anemone. The jellyfish nurture a symbiotic relationship with algae that live in their tissues in exchange for nutrition and capture zooplankton for more. This algae requires plenty of sunlight to grow and the jellyfish ferry across the lake twice daily from one side to the other providing their internal algae with the sunlight it needs. At night, the jellyfish swim to lower depths where the water is rich in nitrogen that helps sustain the algae population. The jellyfish keep away from their lone predator in this lake, the sea anemone that is capable of stinging, trapping and killing them.

The Jellyfish Lake in Palau, Micronesia attracts a lot of tourists to snorkel in it’s jellyfish infested waters. Tour operators in Koror offer trips to the lake on Eil Malk island which is approximately a 45 minute boat ride from Koror. Described as “swimming in a lava lamp with gelatinous blobs floating all around you, bouncing off your arms, head and feet”, it’s an experience unlike anything you will ever have elsewhere. Scuba diving here is prohibited as the bubbles from scuba regulators tend to collect beneath the bell of the jellyfish, harming them. Wearing fins too is not allowed as a simple fin blade could slice the fragile jellyfish in two with little effort. Another reason for the ban on Scuba diving here is that the bottom portion of the 30 m (100 ft) lake has a giant layer of hydrogen sulfide.

A refreshing experience to anyone who has the privilege of visiting beautiful Palau, the Jellyfish lake is guaranteed to be one of the most astounding moments of your life. Snorkeling in the Jellysfish Lake is a must-do for any water lover!!

* Photo Credits: photos by tobze, aSIMULAtor, anthonioo on flickr

The Barracuda is an ominous creature that strikes some amount of trepidation in the hearts of Scuba Divers whenever one is spotted circling lazily, more due to the several stories of barracuda attacks on humans and the fact that this predatory fish can dart from a stationery position to warp speed quicker than one can say barracuda. Any diver who has seen this toothy creature hunt down a fish will testify that it is one fearsome hunter.

Barracudas known as sea Pikes, mainly due to its elongated Pike-like appearance (minus the teeth), are in-fact not related to the Pike in any way. With prominent sharp-edged teeth that come in all different sizes, and a pointy head, some species of the barracuda can grow up to 6 feet in length which adds to its intimidating nature. Barracuda are found all over the world primarily in tropical and sometimes in temperate waters often near coral reefs.

As predators, the Barracuda are extremely successful fish, they have the ability to surprise their prey with short bursts of speed (up to 28 miles per hour (45 km/h) and are voracious feeders. Younger Barracuda swim in large groups known as a battery, and once they reach full size, adult males break away and become solitary hunters.  Barracuda are opportunistic hunters and will prey on any kind of fish that chances along its way when its hungry. Barracuda are also known to have great eyesight, but being opportunistic hunters, they are also notoriously known to attack first before identifying its prey.

Is it reasonable to be afraid of barracudas? The answer is no, just like sharks, the risk of being attached by a barracuda is extremely low. Of the 22 barracuda species found throughout the world, the great barracuda is the only one known to attack humans. Usually incidents take place in murkier waters, near harbors, where it is theorized that the barracuda on sighting the glint of a shiny object, mistaking it to be a fish, will attack.  This is why it is advisable for divers to refrain from wearing shiny glinting objects like watches, bracelets, rings and chains while diving in barracuda infested waters, especially where the visibility is poor, as barracuda are known to attack first and ask questions later. Most barracuda attack victims have been fisherman and only a couple of incidents in decades of a diver being attacked. Barracuda will only attack in murky waters if it mistakes a human as prey, or if it spots a shiny object which it mistakes for a fish, if it is provoked, or if a diver/fisherman is swimming with dead fish in their hands. Spearfishing near barracuda or hand feeding barracuda is considered extremely dangerous.

As barracuda have two rows of sharp teeth, and with its slashing attack, even a bite is capable of causing severe tendon, nerve and tissue damage often severing major blood vessels, which is the cause of most barracuda attack related fatalities.

Barracuda will more often than not keep their distance from divers; however their inquisitive nature results in them often circling a group of divers at a distance which can be rather unnerving for most. The best thing for a diver to do when confronted with barracuda, is to keep your distance and avoid provoking them and making sudden jerky movements, more often than not the barracuda will simply keep its distance and swim away into the blue.

*Photo credits: photos by JennyHuang and Tom Weilenmann on flickr

Not something you would want to find in your plate of Calamari, the Giant Squid and Colossal Squid have long been the stuff of legends. Stories surrounding the creature claiming it sank ships and plucked sailors off decks, heightened our curiosity of these already mysterious creatures over the last decade. Dead specimens, that sometimes washed up on beaches, provided proof of the existence of these massive deep-dwellers, but no researchers had ever seen one alive until a few years. Even with increasing sightings since, the Giant and Colossal Squids never seize to amaze the World when they make their rare appearances.

Two Japanese researchers, Tsunemi Kubodera of Tokyo’s National Science Museum and Kyoichi Mori of the Ogasawara Whale Watching Association, were the first to lure one of these giants with bait to catch a glimpse of it as well as photograph the live 25-plus foot female squid. The managed this almost impossible feat by followings the sightings of sperm whales with sucker marks on their skin. The researchers then chose a spot to lower a hook baited with a single small squid and an automated digital camera that snapped a picture every few minutes and sent it down to a depth of nearly 3,000 feet. Their operation was a success as the giant squid came for the bait. The unlucky squid however got a tentacle snagged on the hook and struggled for 4 hours trying to get free. In the struggle however, the researchers obtained more than 500 pictures of the squid, which scientists called Architeuthis. They then tried to haul the heavy weight squid into the vessel as a live specimen, but the squid lost the battle and its life while trying to get free.

Just like the Giant Jellyfish that frequent Japanese waters creating waves among marine scientists, researchers and water lovers the world over, there was little known about these rare and elusive creatures.

The Giant Squid, is the smaller of the 2 squids and is more widespread than it’s cousin the Colossal Squid. Specifically found in the North Atlantic Ocean around Newfoundland, Norway and the northern British Isles, the Giant squid has also been sighted around Southern Africa, Japan, New Zealand and Australia among its other dwellings. It is estimated to grow to astounding proportions of 13 meters (43 ft) for females and 10 meters (33 ft) for males measuring from claudial fin to the tip of the two long tentacles. Like all squid, a giant squid has a mantle (torso), eight arms, and two longer tentacles and can weigh a maximum of 275 kilograms (610 lb) for females and 150 kilograms (330 lb) for males. The inside surfaces of the arms and tentacles are lined with hundreds of sub-spherical suction cups and it is common to find circular scars from the suckers on or close to the head of sperm whales who are predators to the giant squid.

The Colossal squid is one of the largest living organisms and is estimated to grow upto 14 metres (46 ft) in length. Unlike the giant squid, whose arms and tentacles only have suckers lined with small teeth, the Colossal Squid’s limbs are equipped with sharp hooks. They are also believed to have a longer mantle than giant squids, although their tentacles are shorter. The Colossal squid known range extends only to the Southern Ocean right from Antarctica to southern South America, southern South Africa, and the southern tip of New Zealand.

While little is known about the life of this creature, scientists have slowly been piecing together evidence of the elusive giants from pictures like these, the specimens washed up on shore and even from stomach contents of sperm whales. In time, we’ll learn more about these mysterious creatures living in the depths of our Oceans.

Snapping Shrimp better known as Pistol shrimp are tiny finger sized creatures that are seldom seen but almost always heard! Most popularly known with divers for their ceaseless cacophony that colonies of these shrimps produce; these shrimp emit  loud crackling sound almost as if a hundred people are cracking their knuckles at once.

Upon closer inspection of the snapping shrimp, it has two claws one of which is an oversized claw that resembles a boxing glove almost as big as its body that it uses to stun its prey by snapping the claw shut quickly. The action produces a loud cracking sound which produces a sort of sonic blast, the shockwave of which is sufficient to stun a passing crab.

Recent research into the Snapping shrimp has generated much interest after discovering that this tiny creature’s claw snapping motion actually shoots out a jet of water at up to 60 miles an hour which generates a low pressure bubble that bursts with a loud snap. The snap of this bubble can produce something known as sonoluminescence which is caused when the collapsing bubble reaches temperatures of over 4700 degrees Celsius or 5000K which is almost as hot as the surface of the sun which is 5778 Kelvin! The resulting snap also produces light which is of a lesser intensity and not visible to the naked eye.

Many who have tried to keep Pistol Shrimp in aquariums at home will testify that they are simply impossible to rear. The sonic blast of these tiny creatures has cracked the aquarium glass so many times, that most hobbyists simply give up.

Another fascinating fact of these amazing creatures is that Naval Submarines have been known to hide amongst beds of Pistol shrimp to hide from sonar detection. Apparently the noise they create is so much that other submarines find it impossible to pickup other noises using sonar.

Pistol Shrimp are native to the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific and the western pacific regions around  Baja California mostly inhabiting caves, bay or lagoons present on rubble at the bottom.

Another unique feature is the Pistol Shrimp shares a symbiotic association with the goby. The goby has a good eye-sight and thus, warns the shrimp of any approaching predator in the exchange of food that the shrimp provides to the goby and the burrow that the Shrimp digs for both, itself and the goby, to live in.

So the next time you hear the loud snap, crackling and pop while diving, take some time out to investigate, and you will be quite amazed at discovering its source.

photos by: divemasterking2000, budak

Ask an avid diver about the creatures they long to encounter on one of their dives and I can almost bet my money that seeing or diving with a whale shark is right up their on their list along with manta rays. Ask a diver who has been lucky enough to encounter one and you’ll be met with a speechless diver fumbling for words or a breathless description. Diving with one of these gentle giants is one of the Top 10 Dives to experience before you die.

Whale sharks are filter feeding sharks that grow to an impressive length of about 12.2 m (40 ft) and can weigh upto 13.6 tonnes. Only called a whale due to it’s massive stature, the whale shark is actually a fish and not a mammal and it holds the record for being the largest living fish on the planet.Whale sharks are believed to have originated about 60 million years ago and have an average life span of 70 years.

With white spot much like stars on the back of this massive yet magnificent fish, whale sharks are gentle and people friendly creatures unlike its other shark relatives. An absolute joy to dive or snorkel with they are quite an attraction to divers. A fan of tropical and warm oceans encounter with these gentle giants are common in places around the world like the Philippines, Thailand, off the Seychelles, Christmas Island, South Africa, Mozambique, Belize, Honduras, Mexico and Western Australia. Many dive operators in these regions offer special whale shark diving tours during the seasons sightings are common. The chances of seeing a whale shark in around Phuket in Thailand is very high between February and May every year.

Swimming with a whale shark is an experience of a lifetime and a must do for any diver. So there next time you’re looking for an adventure holiday put diving with the largest fish on the planet on that list and make sure to check it off in this lifetime!

I’m sure almost each and every diver has chanced upon this toothy character of the deep at some point or another. Often unintentionally encountering the moray’s alien like jaws inches away from you while passing over some innocent looking corral.

Whenever I used to catch glimpse of this seemingly vicious, ill-tempered creature lurking in the reef, I stay clear giving it as much of a wide berth as possible. I can’t really say what exactly it is about the moray eel that makes so many divers react the way I do, there are just so many intimidating qualities.

I guess the moray eels gaping jaws and sharp teeth are the first thing that grabs your attention. They possess sharp backward pointing teeth designed for tearing flesh, and a second set of jaws inside their throats, also armed with teeth, meant for capturing or restraining their prey.

What also makes the moray seem more intimidating is the fact that we never see the entire length of the eel as it lays hidden in a crevice with only its head sticking out. This creates the doubt in the diver’s mind, as to how long it really is, and the fear of it possibly springing out to attack.

Typically moray eels are around 1.5 meters (5 ft) long (almost the size of a person). But some moray species grow up to 4 meters (13ft) long, i.e. twice the size of an adult human male.

Morays seldom deliberately attack divers; they are secretive and shy creatures that would rather avoid humans and swim for cover than confront one. Most instances of moray related attacks have almost always been in self-defense, when a diver unwittingly grabs on to a rocky outcrop that happens to be the home of a moray eel or if a diver has been trying to feed the moray.

Moray eels have poor vision and poor hearing, so they rely heavily on smell to locate prey which mainly consists of small fish and crustaceans.  They are often found amongst coral reefs and lurking in crevices at the sea floor. It’s very rare to see one swimming free from one crevice to another during the day, as they are predominantly nocturnal creatures.

The other intimidating and fascinating feature of the moray is the sheer varieties color you see them in. There are over 200 species of the moray eel, and they range in several different colors, some subdued and camouflaged, others bright and showy making them one of the most recognizable creatures on the reef.

Despite its menacing qualities, the moray eel is a truly fascinating creature which is often misunderstood and unjustly reputed as a ‘dangerous’ creature. Having said that; I still dive rather carefully whenever I catch sight of a moray, and will often still try and circumvent its ill-tempered glare and admire its beauty from afar.

Photos: richard ling, jon hanson, doug.deep, alfonsator

Amongst all underwater creatures, the curious-looking nautilus is the one creature that fascinates me the most. The Nautilus is known as the living fossil due to the fact that it has remained largely unchanged for almost 400 million years. Found in abundance in prehistoric times, the nautilus’ numbers have dwindled and only a handful of its species remains today.

The nautilus which gets its name from the Greek  word meaning ‘sailor’, is a mollusk and a member of the cephalopod family. It is closely related to other cephalopods such as the squid, cuttlefish, and octopus. And just like the other members of its family, the Nautilus too uses water jet expulsion to propel in quick bursts across the ocean.

Part of the mystery shrouding the life and habits of this prehistoric creature is the fact that it usually inhabits depths of about 300 m, rising to around 100 m at night only for feeding, mating or laying eggs. It is known that the average lifespan of a nautilus is around 20 years, and it lays its eggs on rocks in shallower waters.

Nautiluses are found only in the waters of the indo-pacific and inhabit the deep slopes of coral reefs. Being predators, they feed mainly on shrimp, small fish and crustaceans, which are captured by the tentacles. Due to the limited energy expended in swimming, they need only eat once a month.

The declining numbers of the Nautilus has been attributed to the harvesting of this creature by man for its stunning shell, which is used in creation of jewelry. Though the sale of its shell is banned in most countries around the world, this practice still carries on much to the disappointment of conversationalists and divers who have been mesmerized by the beauty of this living fossil.

photos: muzina_shanghai, Ethan Hein, tbSMITH

Remarkably there exist quite a few species of marine creatures that generate electricity. These creatures possess an electric generating organ that is used as an offensive organ to help hunt down food, or as a defensive organ to protect themselves from larger predators. While most species that can generate an electrical discharge are below the 1 volt mark, we have compiled a list of the 5 most shocking underwater creatures which will make you think twice before donning that scuba diving equipment.

1. Electric Eel (370-650 volts!)

The electric eel tops our countdown as being the number one underwater creature with the ability to generate the greatest electric current from its body.

Though called the electric eel, this creature does not belong to the family of eels but a species of knifefish which is a close relative of the catfish. Found primarily in the muddy bottoms of the fresh waters of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America, these shocking creatures can generate a powerful electric current of up to 650volts to paralyze or kill its prey. Just to put this into perspective; this is 5 times the shock you would get from sticking your finger into an electrical socket. Generally 100-300 volts can shock the heart into defibrillation if the path of the current flows through the heart. A higher voltage will probably stop the heart. Electric eels have been known to stun animals as large as horses as they attempt to cross the river.

2. Electric Catfish (350-450 volts)

The electric catfish which has around 18 freshwater catfish species native to the Nile in Africa, can grow up to 1.2 m (4 feet) in length and 20 kg (45 pounds) in weight.  This creature is capable of generating and controlling the discharge of up to 450 volts of electricity. It uses its power to defend itself and to capture prey. The electric organ is composed of modified muscle tissue and forms a fine, gelatinous layer directly beneath the soft, naked skin of the fish. Though the shock an electric catfish can generate is enough to kill a human, there are no documented cases of human fatalities caused by the catfish which would require repeated discharges to be fatal.

3. Electric Ray (37-220 volts)

Electric Rays belong to the family Torpediniformes which is derived from the Latin word ‘torpere’ which mean to stun or paralyze. These flattened cartilaginous creatures have the potential to produce an electric discharge ranging from 37 volts right up to a staggering 220 volts. Ranging from 6 inches these underwater stunners can grow to a length of 6 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds. Like most rays electric rays are bottom dwelling and slow moving creatures relying heavily on their tails. They feed on invertebrates and small fish and lie in wait for prey below the sand or other substrate, using their electricity to stun and capture it. The common torpedo has five bright blue, dark-edged spots on its back making it easily recognizable.

4. Electric Stargazer (50 Volts)

Stargazers possess a large upward-facing mouth in an equally large head and have their eyes on the top of their heads, giving them their name. Their usual habit is to bury themselves in sand, and leap upwards to ambush prey that passes overhead. Some species have a worm-shaped lure growing out of the floor of the mouth, which they can wiggle to attract prey’s attention. Electric Stargazers possess their electric organ behind each of their eyes that is capable of generating up to 50 volts of electricity which is more than sufficient to stun or kills its prey.

5. Skate (4 volts)

This flat cartilaginous creature makes our list at the bottom, being able to generate 4 volts of electric discharge from their rather weak electric organs. Many studies have shown that the Skate uses its electric discharge more as a method of communication than to stun its prey or defend it. The skate contains its electric organ inside its tail and several of the approximately 100 species in the skate family are capable of emitting electrical charges. Found in most seas, it remains close to the seabed and burrows into it to conceal itself when resting. The skate can create a vacuum between itself and the bottom of the sea, producing suction that makes it difficult for predators to move the fish. Skate can measure anywhere from 1 foot to more than 20 feet, depending on the species (the largest skate is the manta ray)

Photos by hoyasmeg, brian.gratwicke, g-na and DanCentury