Innerspace: The Water Wonderland

Ah the ocean. I do love that I live near the ocean. I certainly do not go to enjoy the wonders of the sea often enough, but it still brings me joy to know it is only 20 minutes away should I decide to go visit my fishie friends. I am not actually a big fan of swimming with Mother Nature's gilled critters, but when I was preparing to visit Thailand in 2003 I decided to force myself. I purchased an underwater case for my Canon S400 camera and a snorkel set with a little bobbling valve to keep more water out of my lungs. (note, this feature only works sometimes -cough cough spit) So I was financially committed to getting in the water with whatever might be swimming around the island of Koh Wai. I braved wearing a swimsuit (yikes) and risked being eaten by myriad fishies. Was it worth it? Heck yeah! Despite the anxiety over being attacked by something fishy, or stepping on precious coral, or drowning in 4 feet of water, it was heaven. I wish I had the courage to learn SCUBA. I love being under the water (I include having my face in the water in this category, since while I was snorkeling, I was completely unaware of the world beyond the surface of the big blue.)

I lack the vision and skill with the equipment to take pictures of note, but these pictures serve a very dear purpose for me. They take me back under the water, where all I could hear was my breathing and the occasional splash as my kick broke the surface. The feeling was better than any flying dream. I think I would rather be a fish than a bird (albeit a big fish, high up on the food chain) Snorkelling in the gulf of Thailand was not like what I have heard about Hawaii. The fish are not socialized here. There were not tons of them hounding people for food. It was raw and natural. If I saw a fish, it was pure serendipity. And I was happy to simply "be" so it was just as well.



Now, if I were actually a REAL photographer, with skill, vision, an artistic eye and could SCUBA, I would be in league with JP Trenque. This photographer has "got it." and received the BBC's 2005 News Photographer of the Year Award to prove it. The underwater photography is captivating and awe-inspiring and everything else wonderful you can think of. Take the time to check out these incredible pictures. For the full effect, put in earplugs so you can only hear your own breathing while viewing the underwater pics. ;) Give yourself over to the beauty of inner space. JP Trenque has really brought the essence of what I love about the sea up to the surface for those of us who are too timid to go there ourselves. These photos are fantastic. Don't miss the above-water pics either. This is your chance to find your happy place.