We were diving at a spot where we had found an octopus nesting under the wreck of a small boat. As it was on a slope I decided to dump all my air and settle on solid ground, basically rubble. This was an early morning dive and everything was grey colour. I scanned the area with my torch first and settled down to take the photographs. I had a Nikonos V, easy to use single handed, and I put out my left hand to steady myself. The rock I touched moved ! It was a scorpionfish. Fortunately the spines were flat and I suffered no more than severe fright.
Scorpaenopsis barbatus, Blue Beach, North Obhur, Jeddah
Nikon F801, 60mm lens on Fuji Velvia
Scorpaenopsis diabolus, Blue Beach, North Obhur, Jeddah.
I found this fish crawling on its pectoral fins up a slope at around 15M.
Nikon F801, 60mm lens on Fuji Velvia
Dwarf Scorpionfish, night dive, 3 metres Blue Beach, North Obhur, Jeddah (Red Sea)
Nikon F801, 60mm lens on Fuji Velvia
Leaf Scorpionfish, Taenianotus triacanthus, Sharm Obhur, Jeddah on a night dive
Nikonos V, 35mm lens with Helix 1:2 Extension Tube on Ektachrome 100
Stonefish, Synanceia verrucosa, Blue Beach, North Obhur, Jeddah
One of the biggest stonefish I have ever come across. Easily 30cm across at the widest part, and 60cm long. I found it on a night dive, and what you see is the eyes and mouth. At our ER in King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital we kept anti-venom available for incidents involving encounters with this creature. There have been several deaths in Jeddah due to this fish.
Nikon F3, 60mm lens on Fuji Velvia
