Keep Breathing

The first rule of scuba diving is to never hold your breath. Sometimes though, there are underwater moments so extraordinary that you have to remind yourself to keep breathing. Unexpectedly coming face-to-face with a fearless sea turtle was one of those moments.

​My diving career started eight years ago in the cloudy rivers and quarries of southwest Virginia. My first few introductory dives with the Virginia Tech Scuba Diving Club took place at a local aquatics center, and I immediately became hooked. Scuba diving offers unique aspects as both a sport and hobby; there is a technical component, an adventurous aspect, and the close comradery of a team sport. More than anything, scuba diving is the gateway to a completely new, unexplored world beneath the surface of the water. It grants a new perspective of the complex ecosystem that has a major impact on our daily lives.

​I jumped at the chance to live in Hawai’i, knowing that it was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a breathtaking environment. The water that surrounds the islands contains diverse wildlife, coral, and topography, sparking my interest in underwater photography. Attempting to capture images underwater provides immense challenges and frustrations, but it can be incredibly rewarding when you get that one, amazing shot. Similar to topside photography, you have to learn how to manually set the exposure, aperture, and shutter speed for each shot. However, underwater photographers have to accomplish this while managing their air supply, remaining buoyant, and contending with ocean currents. Throw in the constantly changing water visibility, lighting, and color tints, and suddenly you have a new appreciation for the beautiful images you see in National Geographic.

Once the Coronavirus social restrictions began, the outdoors became a haven for those living on the island. Thankfully, my favorite dive buddy also happens to be my wife, allowing us to continue diving while maintaining social distance from the rest of the world. We knew that we could not miss the opportunity to explore the ocean while it was free of the normal bustle of tourist boats . Since both of us are essential workers, the water offered a peaceful escape from the stress of everyday life. It also provided me the chance to refine my underwater photography skills, learning new things from each dive.

The photo I’ve submitted was taken towards the end of a dive at Sharks Cove. Sharks Cove is a small, rocky bay that is part of Pupukea Beach Park on the northern shore of Oahu, and is a favorite among locals and tourists. Snorkelers enjoy the bay because it offers a protected area with schools of fish, sea turtles, and other wildlife. Scuba divers and free divers adore Sharks Cove for the lava tubes and caves that snake through the rocky sea walls. As my wife and I began to ascend after an hour-long dive, I decided to hang out a few feet below the surface and snap some photos of the schools of fish darting around. My tired and cold wife rolled her eyes at me, begrudgingly obliging my desire to take some last minute photos. As I was hastily trying to adjust the settings on my camera, I glanced up when I noticed movement in front of me.

Staring at me from a few feet away was a sea turtle, appearing curious as to why my head was suddenly in its path. I froze, not wanting to accidently touch or startle the animal, inadvertently holding my breath. The turtle kept its eyes locked on mine, slowly swimming straight towards me while I remained still with shock and amazement. Gently gliding over my shoulder, the sea turtle reached its intended destination of a seaweed patch on a shallow rock outcropping. Realizing that I had been holding my breath, I slowly breathed out and silently prayed that my camera settings would be right for this moment. As I slowly raised my camera to get a photo, the sea turtle pushed off the rock and raised his head to look at me again, posing perfectly for this shot.

I chose to submit this photo because it represents a moment of absolute beauty and serenity. Despite its small size, this turtle decided to trust that I would remain frozen as he floated right by me. Suddenly, all the cold training dives, the endless hours of practice underwater, and lugging heavy equipment around was worth it in one, astounding moment. You can’t help but feel as though you’ve become part of the underwater habitat that these animals live in. Nothing else matters in the world as you enjoy those few seconds of absolute perfection.

​The moment I took this photo, I knew it was going to be special. Luckily, I had just the right amount of exposure for the shallow water, and a fast-enough shutter speed to perfectly capture the turtle’s expression. When I edited this photo in Lightroom, I adjusted the colors, as the ocean tends to filter out reds, and cropped it to show how large the turtle looked from my perspective when we were face-to-face. I removed some of the distracting particles that are naturally suspended in the water, making the turtle the single focal point. My aspiration is for people to see this photo and be as captivated by the underwater world as I am.