Maejima Island

There is something very cool about jumping off a boat, swimming through a coral reef, and making it to the coral strewn shore of an island.

After swimming ashore, I was greeted by the power of time and salt.

There was something haunting about all the old buildings and melting construction equipment that inhabited this island.

About twenty years ago, a family lived on this island and raised goats. The island is now currently uninhabited.

前島 沖縄

Maejima 前島

Okinawa, Japan

Reef Shark

While trying to photograph 3 skidish tuna, this reef shark just happened to swim into my shot. My initial emotions were shock and fear, but when I realized that the boat was a 10 minute swim away, I relaxed and took the shot above. As the shark swam on, curiosity pushed me to swim after it until the shark disappeared into the blue coral reef.

Mermen

Tokashiki, Japan

Morning Snorkel

Ginowan, Okinawa

Under the Red Bridge

Ikei Island, Japan

Japanese Cicada: Tanna Japonensis

There are certain sounds that typify a season. In Japan the sound of the cicada is one of those sounds. Every year around the end of June the cicadas come out of the ground to have a 5 day party before they die. Cicada's spend the majority of their lives underground and use these burrows to come out from under the tree they were living under. Just by chance, I was able to catch one in the middle of molting its skin. After this a cicada molt's its skin, it will fly up into a nearby tree, to make a great deal of noise, and make more cicadas.

Okinawa, Japan

Ojima Island 奥武島

Okinawa, Japan

Frogs in the Park

An Ishikawa's Frog, which is native to Okinawa and mainland Japan.

Possibly an Olive Tree Frog

Ginowan Marina

A 6 legged starfish (starfish usually only have 5 legs)

Shrimp Goby

Ginowan, Okinawa