Photo Essays

The following is a selection of  Photo Essays that have appeared in international wildlife magazines. Editors interesting acquiring periodical rights contact Neil directly. 

MERMAIDS IN PERIL

All four living species of sea cows are in serious danger of complete extinction. These animals, it appears, are simply too gentle and defenseless to survive the relentless hunting and encroachment of man. The extreme danger the Florida manatee faces makes public awareness and sympathy to their plight of the utmost urgency. 

GHOSTLY SCREAMERS

During the Arctic summer, three to four thousand white beluga whales migrate southward in Canada's Hudson Bay, feeding on capelin near the mouth of the Churchill River and bearing their calves in the warmer water of the river. This article examines the natural history of the belugas.

 GIANT CLAMS

Working alone 15 metres underwater in the cold waters off western Canada, diving fishermen harvest huge geoduck clams for a ready market in the Orient. These monster clams average over three kilograms apiece (with real giants weighing nine kilograms) and live in deep burrows in the sea floor. This article describes how the diving fishermen hunt these mollusks.

SOCKEYE SALMON

After four years of life at sea, sockeye salmon struggle through rapids and up waterfalls to return to the stream where they were born. This story examines their spawning behaviour upon their return to the Adams River, British Columbia, where up to four million fish gather to spawn.

WOLVES OF THE SEA

A diver suddenly encountering the fiercesome countenance of a full-grown wolf-eel could be forgiven for being startled. These 2.5-metre-long cave-dwellers of the west coast of North America look ferocious, but divers have found that once you get to know them, wolf-eels are gentle and tolerant creatures. 

NATURE'S  AQUABATS

Weighing up to a tonne, the Steller sea lions of the Pacific coast of North America are one of the largest species known. Awkward and clumsy on land, these brown monsters become absolute masters of their environment once they plunge into the sea. Swimming with grace that belies their bulk, these creatures are amazing undersea aquabats. 

SEA OF CORTEZ

Each summer the warm waters of Mexico's Sea of Cortez swarm with countless schools of fish attracted to the rich ocean pinnacles that rise from the deep floor of the gulf. Occasionally divers are lucky enough to encounter one of the wonders of the sea: schools of several hundred scalloped hammerhead sharks circling the peaks of these rich seamounts. 

ENIGMA OF THE DEEP

Reaching five metres in length, these massive sharks roam cold, dark depths and are rarely seen by man except when captured on fishermen's long-lines. Generally they are found only in deep water, but off the west coast of Canada they occasionally ascend to surface waters in search of food and are seen by divers. 

THE GHOST FLEET 

Lying at the bottom of Truk Lagoon in the western Pacific Ocean is a sunken fleet of Japanese ships, the result of massive Allied air strikes during WW II. As many as 60 vessels were trapped in the lagoon and many rest within diving depths. Over time, the sea has reclaimed these relics of war. A rich tapestry of marine life now carpets their decks and countless schools of fish shelter among their steel frames. 

CORAL REEFS

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest of its kind in the world, stretching along 1,900 km of coastline from Cape York in the north to the Tropic of Capricorn at its southern extent. Encompassing more than 115,000 square kilometers of ocean and including over 3,000 reefs, islands and coral cays, it is an underwater paradise. 

NUDIBRANCHS

"Sea slugs" is a term hardly befitting this wondrous group of mollusks known as the nudibranchs. Several dozen different forms crawl the seafloor off the Pacific coast of North America, many possessing dazzling colours and improbable designs. Some are finger-tip size, while others reach nearly half a metre in length.

GREY WHALES

The mighty grey whales make an annual trip from the warm shallows of Baja California to the cold waters of Alaska. This article describes their travels, with pictures depicting their visit to the shores of British Columbia, where they feed on herring roe and mysid shrimp.

DAY OF THE DOLPHINS

Large herds of Pacific white-sided dolphins roam the northeast Pacific Ocean, sometimes observed in groups of up to a thousand or more. Gregarious and social by nature, they can be found off the west coast of Canada during summer and fall, feeding on herring and other fishes. 

SUPER STARS

No comparable length of coastline in the world is home to a greater variety and number of sea stars than British Columbia's 27,000 kilometre stretch of rugged shore. Here divers can observe the habits of more that two dozen different species, from the thumb-size six-rayed sea star to the enormous sunflower sea star. 

GIANT OCTOPUS

Shy and reclusive or aggressive and malevolent? What is the true nature of the Giant Pacific Octopus? Considered one of the largest species of octopus in the world, with a documented specimen weighing close to 140 kg, these intelligent creatures appear to be mild-mannered mollusks as far as divers are concerned. This article examines the natural history of octopuses.

SEA ANEMONES

Arranged in garden-like settings on the ocean floor, sea anemones are among the most attractive creatures found on the west coast. Ironically, their delicate-looking tentacles possess stinging cells capable of stunning and capturing many kinds of  prey, making them significant undersea predators. The text of this article delves into some of the mysteries of these animals.

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

The convoluted British Columbia coastline is characterized by dozens of narrow channels swept by swift tidal currents. Current velocities often exceed six metres per second: one passage, known as Nakwakto Rapids, is considered to have the fastest tidal currents in the world, peaking at over eight metres per second. The marine creatures inhabiting these passages are both spectacular and intriguing. 

KILLER WHALES

More than 300 killer whales (orcas) inhabit British Columbia waters, living in tightly-knit family groups called pods. Once feared and vilified, these remarkable mammals are now the subjects of intensive research aimed at learning more about their complicated social interactions.This article provides a general overview of these creatures.

GREAT WHITE SHARKS

The ocean's ultimate predator is the most feared animal in the sea. These savage sharks have been responsible for hundreds of attacks on humans. The story documents a great white shark expedition to South Australia, where these sharks hunt seals and sea lions. The article explains why shark experts in Australia are worried that the population of white sharks is in decline.

DEADLY DRIFTERS

Carried along by ocean currents, these gelatinous creatures range from tiny species to huge creatures with bells over two metres in diameter and trailing tentacles more than 20 metres long. Jellyfish are major predators of zooplankton and can have serious impacts on the food supply of  fish. A few jellyfish pack a potent toxin in the stinging cells of their tentacles; powerful enough to kill a person.