Outdoor Travel & Photography

WHERE TO GO

TO GET THE SHOTS

As with real estate, the three keys to underwater photography are location, location, and location. An ideal underwater photography destination should have all or many of the following: unusual photographic opportunities; convenient location and diving; and photographer-oriented dive operators.

The dive destination industry is big business and it's easy to arrange a trip to suit any specific needs. The best resources for trip ideas are knowledgeable travel agents, dive travel companies, scuba diving magazines, tourism offices, and individual dive resorts.

Here's a short overview of some great places for getting the super shots.

AUSTRALIA'S GREAT BARRIER REEF

Say "G'day, mate" to the mother lode of scuba diving. The Great Barrier Reef stretches more than 1,200 miles along the Queensland coast of Australia. Along the way, there are more than 1,400 species of fish and an incredible variety of coral formations.

The world's longest barrier reef has become known as a haven for sharks (and shark photographers). It's the perfect place to see and shoot great whites and other toothy fish from the deep. Photographers in the know head for Heron Island (the location of an active marine research center), Lizard, and many other famous dive sites along this incredible reef.

Contact the Australian Tourist Commission at 2121 Avenue of the Stars, #1200, Los Angeles, CA 90067, (310) 552-1988.

BAHAMAS

About 700 landmasses over 90,000 square miles of the Caribbean and Atlantic make for plenty of uncrowded dives in the Bahamas. The closeness to Florida, along with many excellent dive operators, mean it truly can be better in the Bahamas.

Grand Bahama features the legendary Underwater Explorers Society (UNEXSO) and unique diving with sharks, dolphins, and Theo's Wreck. New Providence, known for busy Nassau, also offers some great diving off the southwest side (the site of many James Bond underwater scenes). The quieter Family Islands lead to virgin diving and an even better way to get good pictures in the Bahamas.

Contact the Bahamas Tourist Board at 255 Alhambra Circle, Coral Gables, FL 33134, (305) 442-4860.

BONAIRE

Part of the Dutch ABCs (the other two are Aruba and Curacao), Bonaire attracts dive photographers from around the world for its consistent conditions. The marine park surrounds the entire island and offers more than 100 documented dive sites.

Bonaire is dedicated to dive tourism and offers one of the best overall diving experiences in the world. There's lots of shore diving, short boat trips, and incredible underwater life.

Contact the Bonaire Tourist Information Office at Resorts Management Inc., The Carriage House, 201 1/2 E. 29th St., New York, NY 10016, (212) 779-0242.

CAYMAN ISLANDS

The Caymans still reign as the mecca for divers. From big-time operators to small and quiet places, underwater photographers flock to these islands for some of the most-renowned picture possibilities in the Caribbean.

Grand Cayman is the grandaddy of Caribbean diving. From Stingray City to some of the best wall diving in the world, this is the place to get some perfect pictures. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are much more subdued on the surface, but every bit as colorful below.

Contact the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, P.O. Box 67, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, (809) 949-8989.

COZUMEL

Si, this is Mexico's most popular diving destination for good reason. The dive operators are much-improved and have shed their reputation as being non-professional. A dive trip to Cozumel today brings few hassles and lots to shoot.

Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is the Mexican Caribbean for divers, with consistently Caribbean-like conditions. Cozumel features legendary sites, like Palancar, Paraiso, Punta Sur, and the airplane wreck. Most of the trips are drift dives, making picture-taking a bit like film-making as you drift by the reefs and marine life.

Contact the Mexican Government Tourism Office at 405 Park Ave., Ste. 1401, New York, NY 10022, (212) 755-7261.

FIJI

Though Fiji is pretty far afield, it's worth the trip. If underwater photography is often colorful, than the results from Fiji are rainbows leading to pots of gold(en) pictures. Though it's an exotic dive destination, the services and accommodations are modern.

The main attraction for photographers is the soft coral, making for incredible colorful and lush landscapes. The most popular spot is Beqa Lagoon, on the southern coast of Viti Levu. Even further out-of-the-way islands include Taveuni and Matagi.

Contact the Fiji Visitor's Bureau at 5777 West Century Blvd., Ste. 200, Los Angeles, CA 90045, (310) 568-1616.

FLORIDA KEYS

According to all reports, the Florida Keys are the most-visited dive destination in the world. All those divers (and Hemingway) can't be wrong. The Keys offer great diving, excellent operators, and incredible convenience. Famous photographic sites include Christ of the Abyss, Dry Tortugas, and The Elbow.

Along with protected marine parks at Key Largo and Looe Key, the Keys have been designated as a national marine sanctuary. This should save the reefs and lead to plenty of good pictures for future generations, all the way from Key Largo to Key West.

Contact the Florida Division of Tourism at 126 Van Buren St., Tallahassee, FL 32301, (904) 487-1462.

HAWAII

Diving in the Hawaiian Islands is different. Colorful coral and marine life is generally replaced by craggy outcroppings from volcanic eruptions, lava tubes and caverns, and lots of strange underwater formations.

Dive operations abound on the Big Island, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. Due to the isolated location of the islands, divers often find unusual fish and other marine life to photograph.

Contact the Hawaii Visitors Bureau at Waikiki Business Plaza, 2270 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 923-1811.

LIVE-ABOARD BOATS

Though not a dive destination in the traditional sense, live-aboard dive boats are definitely a place to go to get great pictures. They offer an opportunity to complete lots of diving in unusual places. Some well-known possibilities include the Agressor's fleet (P.O. Drawer K, Morgan City, LA 70381, (504) 385-2628 or (800) 348-2628) of dive boats throughout the world and the Wave Dancer with renowned Peter Hughes Diving (1390 S. Dixie Hwy., Ste. 2213, Coral Gables, FL 33146, (305) 669-9391 or (800) 9-DANCER) throughout the Caribbean.

Live-aboards are generally for diving and photography fanatics. They reach dive sites not usually visited by land-based operators. The trips can range from very basic to luxurious, short excursions to long trips, and close destinations and boats much further afield. For the experienced diver, they're a great option.

RED SEA

Moses may have been the first to part the Red Sea, but modern divers are discovering it as well. The unusual marine environment between Arabia and the continent of Africa offers unique diving and underwater life.

Still relatively undiscovered, the most popular diving is in the north, around the Gulf of Aqaba (out of the resort city of Eilat). From Egypt, Ras Muhammad's reefs are reached from Sharm El Sheikh.

Contact the Israel Tourist Office at 350 Fifth Ave., 19th Floor, New York, NY 10118, (212) 560-0650 or the Egyptian Tourism Authority at 630 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1706, New York 10011, (212) 332-2570.