Quick Takes

David Fleetham · Issue 135, Nov/Dec 2023 · pp. 57–58

Products mentioned: Canon EOS R5, Ikelite dry-lock housing, Canon RF15-30mm, Sigma 70mm macro lens, Ikelite 230 strobes

Do you have a few linked shots which tell a short story and which made a dive special? E mail yours with some text to peter@uwpmag.com and yours could be the next ‘Quick Takes’ Quick Takes by David Fleetham There is a cleaning station off the island of Yap named Stammtisch. Manta rays regularly come into the top of the reef, which is just 10 feet below the surface, to get cleaned. After waiting for the mantas to come back I noticed that the fish here were very conditioned to the presence of bubble blowing intruders and I spent several subsequent dives with a macro lens chasing fish portraits. I had seen slingjaw wrasse, Epibulus insidiator, on several occasions perform their signature move with their highly protrusible jaws without attempting to capture prey. This species has several unique ligaments and cranial bones that enable its jaw to protrude at a rapid speed along with length to …