Join Dive Worldwide on Thursday 16 March for a virtual talk (7.00pm-8.00pm) to learn more about the weird and wonderful  world of muck diving, and the strange creatures to discover. The talk is led by award-winning photographer Saeed Rashid. Throughout the talk, Saeed will show his own photographs, such as those of frogfish, nudibranch, mimic octopus, and mandarin fish. For those inspired by Saeed’s talk and photos, he will be leading a pioneering diving trip to Indonesia’s Lembeh Strait later this year, perhaps the finest muck diving location in the world.

Muck & Magic Trip

Lembeh, Indonesia, is an extraordinary destination for divers; dubbed the engine room of evolution. Here, one can find all kinds of magical marine life, including mimic octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish and many varieties of frogfish. On this small group, expert-led trip, divers will spend 10 nights at the Dive Into Lembeh resort on Kasawari Bay, perfectly located for the muck sites of Lembeh Strait, two of which form the house reef. Any keen photographers will not be short of subjects on which to practice, and there is arguably no better place to develop your macro photography skills.

Divers without cameras will also enjoy the treasure hunt of finding these creatures, which are often perfectly camouflaged, with the help of expert local guides. The northern dive sites of the Lembeh Strait are also home to some exceptional coral reef dives to provide a balance of diving styles.  Led by award-winning photographer, Saeed Rashid, the group will enjoy talks each evening in which Rashid recounts his adventures and shares his photographs.  Price: from £3,295pp sharing, including 10 nights’ accommodation, all meals, 9 days’ diving, tanks and weights, evening talks, transfers and return flights from the UK. Departs 4 July 2023.

For further information visit Dive Worldwide – visit www.diveworldwide.com or telephone 01962 302087.

All photos – copyright Saeed Rashid

DivePhotoGuide is pleased to announce the 2023 World Oceans Day Photo Competition is open for global submissions now through April 23rd. Complementing the annual June 8th World Oceans Day celebration at the UN Headquarters in New York, this year’s milestone competition draws on the power of the arts in support of the 2023 theme “Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing,” and the call to action “time to put the ocean first.”

The Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is a free and open-to-the-public competition coordinated in collaboration between the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DivePhotoGuide (DPG), Oceanic Global, Nausicaa and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. The 10th anniversary competition presents a unique opportunity for photographers to showcase the immense breadth and depth of the ocean’s beauty as well as to shed light on the lesser known promise and potential brimming beneath its waves.

From now until April 23rd, the following six categories will be open for global submissions: “Ocean Is Life,” “The Wonderful World of Tides,” “Putting the Ocean Fist,” “No Time to Waste,” “Underwater Seascapes,” and “Big and Small Underwater Faces.” Winning submissions will be announced during the annual UN World Oceans Day Event held in New York on June 8th as well as broadcast live on UNTV.

The annual competition has been curated by underwater photographer Ellen Cuylaerts and judged by a jury of world-renowned photographers. This year is no exception, with the 2023 jury boasting celebrated names including wildlife photographer Rathika Ramasamy (India), wildlife photographer Rajan Desai (USA), and underwater fine art wildlife photographer Ipah Uid Lynn (Malaysia).

Further information on submissions and rules for the 2023 Photo Competition as well galleries of past competition winners are available here.

Header Image: Nur Tucker