Scuba Diving – September 2019

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74 / SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 SCUBADIVING.COM

D

iving is a treasure hunt. Bucket-list

big animals, secret macro gems,

mind-blowing behaviors—no matter

what type of plan you’re diving, chances

are you’re in search of something.

Ned DeLoach knows this better than

anyone. Since learning to dive in the ear-

ly 1970s, the cofounder of Reef Envi-

ronmental Education Foundation has

scoured the globe in search of species

large and small as research for some of

diving’s most infl uential fi eld guides, in-

cluding Reef Fish Identifi cation and Reef

Creature Identifi cation, co-authored by Paul

Humann. When you see a puzzled dive

guide trying to identify a critter they’ve

never seen before, they’re typically nose

deep in one of DeLoach’s books.

“Discoveries take many forms, from

fi nding a creature you’ve never seen be-

fore to the thrill of fi nally tracking down a

dream fi sh you been hunting for years or

even discovering an undescribed species

or an animal you’ve never imagined exist-

ed,” he says. “And then there’s the added

bonus of simply rediscovering a favorite

animal. To this day, even though I’ve seen

hundreds, I can’t pass a sailfi n blenny

without taking a look.”

After 50 years of diving, for DeLoach,

“That fi rst indelible glimpse of raw, un-

fettered exploration that became my

polestar remains with me today. I still

can’t get enough of it.”

And neither can you. So, here’s some

advice from the master.

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

To find the coolest creatures, you need to know where, when and how to look

BY ERIC MICHAEL

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DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Knowledge is power—developing an

awareness of a site’s most compelling

creatures adds drama and enjoyment.

Understanding your prey is fundamental

to every hunt, whether you’re a photogra-

pher visiting an exotic destination or just

an average diver at a favorite local site.

“A little knowledge goes a long way,”

DeLoach says. “Reading everything you

can get your hands on and taking a fi sh

ID course are good places to start, but

resources are limited, and few instruc-

tors or resorts provide natural-history

instruction. Local knowledge is always a

big asset.”

Building your own foundation of knowl-

edge is a process. Start off by studying

HONORABLE

MENTION