Rajah Ampat

Hi everyone,

I just got back from 12 days in Rajah Ampat on the Ondina. This was a Deb Fugitt charter focused on photos and video, so the best part was if we liked a site and didn't have to move, it was "open deck", allowing us to dive pretty much as much as our computers would allow. The route was Sorong to Lembeh via Halmahera.

"The Passage", a narrow gap between two islands

"Airboret", a village jetty with a giant school of bait fish, juvenile batfish, hunting trevally, and great critters

Colorful and lush reefs were everywhere (this one's Kaleidoscope)

Bantai Sago, a small island in the open strait - if you are patient, they will come!

And Lembeh is, well...Lembeh!

Great group, great crew, great trip! The rest of the pics are at http://gallery.me.com/philsokol/100158

Phil

Outstanding images Phil! The wide angle work in your gallery is really breathtaking. Congrats partner. How did the rig hold up?

Welcome home,

Steve

Great pics phil,awsome

Thanks guys!

Steve, the rig worked great. I did have a small leak on the last day, last dive in Lembeh, so I missed the shot of the zebra crab in the fire urchin as well as the tiger shrimps (those guys are small!), but a little hair dryer action and things are working well again

Phil

That is some impresive photography!

Wow, that is one fine gallery! Sounds like you had a great trip!! I concur with the others, the wide-angle stuff is really, really awesome! Thanks fo sharing,

Mike

great work Phil, I love the sweetlips, razorfish and catfish shots among many others. Sounds like a great trip.

Great stuff!

It sounds like a lot of travelling, Halmahera to Lembeh...

I think that I like the frogfish and the sunbursts best, but the rock window shots are pretty cool, too. Where were they taken? Reminds me of Boo.

Tim

Thanks again for the compliments!

You're good, Tim - the window shots are Jamur Boo!

Phil

Brilliant shots!

That firsts ones a knock out

Cal

Sounds and looks like you had a great trip Phil. Some beautiful images. As Cal said the first one is amazing.

All the best Stew

Great stuff Phil.

Alex

Loved your wideangle shots. Really superb.

Must have been a stunning trip.

Thanks for sharing

Puffin

Phil, it's your fault I'm now late for work. I was just going to take a quick look at a few of the pics in your gallery but got totally drawn in. They are incredible! I couldn't get enough and looked at every single one. I fully expected to enjoy the WA as that is my preference to shoot and I was not disappointed, but the macro work really surprised me and I thought there were some truly creative shots. Well done and I look forward to your So Africa images!

Karen

Great Shoot!!!!

Thanks your sharing

Very nice work Phil.

Cheers

Todd

Those Batfish in the bait shots are really cool. Great gallery.

Rand

Oh, how good that gallery was. I'm jealous. More, please.

Congratulations Phil! This is one of those galleries that make me want to jump in the water right now!

Wow, Phil! Great stuff, both macro and wide angle!

That's the same route I did with Deb last year, so I can imagine first hand all the great subjects you had, but I am REALLY impressed with how many of them you managed to capture so well in that gallery! Superb, just superb!