The ocean is not what you think.
Twenty-five years of reef keeping, dive trips and travels across 80+ countries — written by one marine biologist who has actually been in the water.
The stories drawing the most readers to TheSea.Org right now — updated from real visits.
Red-Lipped Batfish — Galapagos Fish That Walks on Fins and Wears Red Lipstick
The red-lipped batfish is a 20 cm Galapagos anglerfish that walks on its fins and uses a chemical lure. Why the red lips, what it eats, where to see it.
Bizarre Sea Creatures
Lifespan of a Giant Squid — Why a 13-Metre Animal Lives Only Five Years
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Squid▸Lifespan of a Giant Squid Lifespan of a Giant Squid — Why a 13-Metre Animal Lives Only Five Years Squid Q&A By Blane Perun 9…
Squid Q&A
Are Dolphins Evil? The Dark Side of Dolphins, Explained
Are dolphins evil? No, but they kill porpoises, commit infanticide and coerce mates. The evidence from Scotland, Shark Bay and Florida, with sources.
Dolphins Q&A
Octopus Adaptations — How an Invertebrate Out-Engineered the Reef
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Octopus▸Octopus Adaptations Octopus Adaptations — How an Invertebrate Out-Engineered the Reef Octopus Q&A By Blane Perun 9 min read What are the main adaptations of…
Octopus Q&A
Almost every article you will find online about the ocean was written by someone who has never been in it. This site is what happens when a marine biologist with twenty-five years in the water writes without a content calendar telling him what’s trending — the actual anatomy, the actual intelligence, the actual reputation.
The newest reports on TheSea.Org — this block updates the moment a new story goes live.
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse — Meade’s 1860 Tower, Station J and the Climb
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse: George Meade's 1860 tower, the Civil War sabotage, the 1928 hurricane, WWII Station J, and climbing it today, with hours and prices.
Key West Lighthouse — Barbara Mabrity, 88 Steps and Visiting the Museum
Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters: the 1846 hurricane, keeper Barbara Mabrity, the 1848 tower raised in 1894, 88 steps to climb, hours and prices.
Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse — Florida’s Tallest, Its History and Climb
Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse, Florida's tallest at about 175 feet: the lost 1835 tower, Stephen Crane's shipwreck, 203 steps, hours and admission.
Pages search engines are starting to reward — the ones on the edge of page one.
Conger Eel (Congridae) — Size, Habitat, Diet & Life Cycle
Conger eels grow to 3 m and 110 kg, hide in wrecks and reef caves by day and spawn only once before dying. Size, range, diet, record catches and how to ID one.
Megalodon vs Blue Whale — Is Megalodon Bigger? Size Comparison
Is megalodon bigger than a blue whale? No. Blue whales reach 33.6 m and 190 t; megalodon 15-18 m typical, 24 m max. Scale chart, weight, bite, teeth compared.
What Do Barnacles Do for Whales? Hitchhikers, Not Helpers
Whale barnacles get a free ride and food; the whale gets little in return beyond possible armour for fights. Which whales carry them, how much and do they hurt.
A rotating pick from across 2,700 reports — refresh the page for a new set.
RMS Republic Gold — Why the Rumoured $3 Million Has Never Turned Up
The RMS Republic wreck was found in 1981, 80 m down off Nantucket, but its rumoured gold, up to $3 million in 1909 dollars, never has. Theories and obstacles.
How Much Is Scuba Gear? 2026 Prices for Every Piece of Kit
A full basic scuba set costs about $1,700; mid-range runs $2,700-$3,100. 2026 prices for masks, wetsuits, BCDs, regulators, dive computers and tanks.
Decorator Crab — How Spider Crabs Build Living Camouflage
Decorator crab facts: how spider crabs glue sponges, algae and anemones to their shells with Velcro-like hairs, which species do it, and why it works.
How Many Legs Do Crustaceans Have? Crabs, Shrimp, Woodlice and More
Crabs, lobsters and shrimp have 10 walking legs; woodlice and amphipods have 14; barnacles use 6 pairs of feathery legs. A group-by-group leg count.
Peppermint Shrimp — Which Species Really Eat Aiptasia?
Peppermint shrimp facts: why the name covers several Lysmata species, which ones eat Aiptasia in studies, size and range, and how to use them in a reef tank.
Ridley Sea Turtles — Kemp’s vs Olive Ridley Compared
Ridleys are the two smallest sea turtles, Kemp's and olive ridley, and the only ones that nest in mass arribadas. How to tell them apart and how each fares.
Pink Zipper Zoanthids — The Morph, Its Pattern and Its Care
Pink Zipper zoanthids are a pink, purple and blue Zoanthus morph named for a zipper-like pattern. What the name means, keeping the pattern sharp, care, frags.
Gustave — The Man-Eating Nile Crocodile of Burundi
Gustave is a giant Nile crocodile of Burundi said to have killed up to 300 people. What is known about his size, age, the 2002 capture attempt and his fate.
Trilobites — 270 Million Years on the Ocean Floor
Trilobites ruled the sea floor for 270 million years. Anatomy, calcite eyes, 3D Pompeii fossils, Ampyx queues, pyrite eggs, record sizes and how to spot fakes.
What Do Marine Iguanas Eat? Seaweed, Diving and Shrinking Bones
Marine iguanas eat almost nothing but red and green seaweed, grazed from rocks at low tide or, for big males, from the seabed down to 30 m. How they feed.
Prehistoric Whales — Basilosaurus, Livyatan and Walking Whales
Prehistoric whales began as four-legged land mammals. Meet Pakicetus, Ambulocetus, Basilosaurus, Perucetus, toothed baleen whales and the giant Livyatan.
Coral Reef Bleaching — When Reefs Turn White
What coral bleaching is, why heat makes corals expel their algae and turn white, the four global bleaching events, why it kills reefs and how reefs recover.
Hair Jelly — Lion’s Mane Jellyfish With Tentacles 37 Metres Long
The hair jelly is the lion's mane jellyfish, Cyanea capillata. Its name, the 36 m size record and its doubts, relatives, life cycle, predators and sting.
Bivalves — Clams, Scallops, Oysters and Giant Clams of the Reef
Bivalves are about 9,200 species of two-shelled molluscs, from clams and oysters to giant clams and file clams. How they live, feed and breed, plus our guides.
What dKH Should a Reef Tank Be? Picking Your Number by Tank Type
Most reef tanks do best at 7–11 dKH; natural seawater is about 6.6–7. Learn dKH conversions, targets by coral type, consumption and how to change it safely.
Stichodactyla Anemone — The Carpet Anemone Genus, Its 5 Species and a Famous Toxin
Stichodactyla is the carpet anemone genus: five species from the Caribbean sun anemone to Mertens' giant, plus the ShK toxin studied as a new drug.
Small Crustaceans — The Tiniest Crabs, Copepods and Microscopic Species
The smallest crustaceans are under 0.1 mm long. Meet tantulocarids, copepods, ostracods, water fleas and sand-dwelling mystacocarids, and why they matter.
The Steve Irwin Stingray Accident — What Really Happened
How Steve Irwin died in 2006: cameraman Justin Lyons' account, the ray's size and species, the wound, other Australian stingray deaths and first aid.
More of what readers keep coming back for.
Bobbit Worm — Ambush Predator Buried in Reef Sediment That Can Bisect Fish
TheSea.Org▸ Bizarre Sea Creatures▸ Bobbit Worm Bobbit Worm — Eunice aphroditois Bizarre Sea Creatures By Blane Perun April 15, 2026 9 min read What is a…
Giant Squid — Architeuthis dux, the Deep-Sea Legend Photographed in 2004
TheSea.Org▸Squid▸Giant Squid Giant Squid — Architeuthis dux, the Deep-Sea Legend Photographed in 2004 SquidBy Blane Perun11 min read What is a giant squid? The giant squid…
Recently added reports from across the site.
Sanibel Lighthouse — History, Hurricane Ian and Lighthouse Beach
The Sanibel Lighthouse at Point Ybel: lit in 1884, a "Sanibel class" iron tower, damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022, relit in 2023 and given a new leg in 2024.
St. Augustine Lighthouse — History, 219 Steps and Visiting Tips
St. Augustine Lighthouse: Spanish watchtowers, Florida's first US light in 1824, the 165-foot 1874 tower and its original lens, 219 steps and current hours.
Cape Florida Lighthouse — Key Biscayne’s 1825 Tower and Its History
Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne: built 1825, burned in the 1836 Seminole siege, raised to 95 feet in 1855, relit in 1996. History, fees and tours.
More pages gaining ground in search.
Do Seals Eat Penguins? Which Seals Do, and How They Hunt
Which seals eat penguins? Leopard seals take 1–5% of Adélie colonies a season; fur seals, NZ and South American sea lions kill penguins locally. Studies, numbers, how they hunt.
Seals Q&A
Are Sharks Mammals? No, and Not Marine Mammals Either
No. Sharks are cartilaginous fish, not mammals or marine mammals: they breathe with gills and never nurse their young. How to tell a shark from a dolphin.
Sharks Q&A
Are Dolphins Evil? The Dark Side of Dolphins, Explained
Are dolphins evil? No, but they kill porpoises, commit infanticide and coerce mates. The evidence from Scotland, Shark Bay and Florida, with sources.
Dolphins Q&A
Ocean Decomposers — The Unsung Recyclers of the Sea
Ocean decomposers are bacteria, fungi and detritivores that break down dead matter and recycle nutrients. Examples from marine snow microbes to bone worms.
Oceans Q&A
Can Alligators Breed With Crocodiles? Why There Are No Hybrids
No. Alligators and crocodiles can't breed: separate families split 80+ million years ago, with different chromosomes. Which crocodiles do hybridise, and why.
Croc Q&A
Freshly built sections — each a full guide with its own hub.
Shark Species A–Z — Types of Sharks, All 9 Orders Explained
Types of sharks explained by a diver: all 9 shark orders, 540+ species, and an A–Z index of shark species profiles from angel shark to zebra shark.
Sharks
Sport & Game Fish of Florida and the Gulf — The Complete Field Guide
Florida and Gulf game fish explained: tarpon, snook, redfish, goliath grouper, marlin, mahi, tuna and more, with sizes, world records, ranges and seasons.
Sport & Game Fish
Prehistoric Sea Creatures — 500 Million Years of Ocean Giants
Prehistoric sea creatures from the Cambrian to megalodon: who ruled when, the largest giants, how fossils form and are dated, plus 26 profiles and survivors.
Prehistoric Sea Creatures
Seashells — How They Form, What Lives Inside, and Where to Find Them
Seashells are mineral skeletons built by living mollusks. Learn how shells form, why they spiral, what lived inside, and where Florida's best shelling is.
Seashells & Shelling
Rays, Skates & Sawfish — A Field Guide to the Flat Sharks
Field guide to rays, skates and sawfish: stingrays, eagle rays, skates, guitarfish, electric rays and sawfish, with sizes, stings, IUCN status and Florida tips.
Rays
Bioluminescence — How and Why the Ocean Glows
Bioluminescence is living light from a luciferin-luciferase reaction. How it works, why ocean light is blue, how scientists study it and where to see it.
Bioluminescence & Plankton
Field observations — written down at the surface, between dives, before they could be polished into something less true.
Another rotating set from the archive.
The Cousteau Name in Fiji — Savusavu, Namena and the Soft Coral Reefs
Jacques Cousteau and Fiji explained: Jean-Michel Cousteau's Savusavu eco-resort, the 1996 name lawsuit, and the village-run Namena Marine Reserve.
Fish-Eating Anemone (Urticina piscivora) — Facts and Habitat
Fish-eating anemone (Urticina piscivora) facts: a bright red Pacific anemone up to 20 cm tall that stings fish, hosts the painted greenling and flees sea stars.
Barrier Reef — Definition, Formation and the World’s Largest Barrier Reefs
A barrier reef runs parallel to shore behind a deep lagoon. How barrier reefs form, how they differ from fringing reefs and atolls, the largest and threats.
Cape Florida Lighthouse — Key Biscayne’s 1825 Tower and Its History
Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne: built 1825, burned in the 1836 Seminole siege, raised to 95 feet in 1855, relit in 1996. History, fees and tours.
Picasso Triggerfish — The Abstract-Art Fish of Indo-Pacific Lagoons
Picasso triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus): size, range, diet, trigger spine, maternal egg care, colour vision research and what to know before keeping one.
#2 Koh Tao Coral Reefs — Thailand’s Turtle Island Reefs & Pinnacles
Koh Tao coral reefs, ranked #2: Chumphon Pinnacle and top dive sites, whale sharks, turtles, the Sattakut wreck, reef health and responsible diving.
Are Sea Urchins Alive? How to Tell a Living Urchin From a Shell
Yes. Sea urchins are living animals, echinoderms related to sea stars. How to tell a live urchin from an empty test, and how they breathe, heal and age.
Deep-Sea Jellyfish — Species, Adaptations & the Giant Phantom Jelly
Deep-sea jellyfish live below 200 m: the giant phantom jelly, Atolla's burglar alarm, the light-killed helmet jelly, Crossota, and why jellies matter in the deep.
How Do Coral Polyps Eat?
Coral polyps eat two ways: symbiotic algae in their tissue supply sugars from sunlight, and stinging tentacles catch plankton, mostly at night. Here's how.
How Long Do Sea Otters Live? Lifespan in the Wild & Captivity
Wild sea otters typically live 10-15 years (males) and 15-20 years (females); the oldest reach about 23. What shortens their lives and why females live longer.
Safaga — Egypt’s Quietest Red Sea Port, 60 km from the Most Heat-Resilient Coral Reefs on Earth
TheSea.Org▸Travels▸Africa▸Safaga Safaga is a Working Egyptian Port on the Red Sea — and the Closest Dive Base to the Pharaohs’ Tombs Africa ▸ Egypt By Blane…
Hermit Crab Habitat — a Borrowed Shell for a Home
Hermit crab habitat explained: where marine and land hermit crabs live, why they need borrowed shells, how vacancy chains work and what threatens their homes.
Macroalgae in Reef Tanks — Beneficial Algae for Nutrient Export
TheSea.Org▸Reef Pests▸Macroalgae Reef Tank Macroalgae in Reef Tanks — Beneficial Algae for Nutrient Export Reef Pests By Blane Perun 9 min read Is macroalgae good or…
Woodes Rogers
TheSea.Org▸Pirates▸Woodes Rogers Woodes Rogers — The Man Who Ended the Nassau Pirate Republic Pirates By Blane Perun 7 min read Who was Woodes Rogers? Woodes Rogers…
Epaulette Shark — The Shark That Walks on Land (and Survives Without Oxygen)
Epaulette shark facts: a small reef shark that walks on its fins between tide pools, survives hours of near-zero oxygen, grows to 1 m and is harmless to people.
Maldives Coral Reef Bleaching — A Nation Built on Reefs
Maldives coral reef bleaching: why a nation built on atolls is so exposed, the catastrophic 1998 and 2016 events, how reefs recovered and what lies ahead.
Sea Hare — The Giant Ink-Squirting Sea Slug (Size, Diet, Ink & Facts)
Sea hares are big algae-eating sea slugs named for ear-like tentacles. The black sea hare reaches 99 cm and 14 kg. Purple ink, diet, eggs and neuroscience role.
How Much Of The Ocean Is A Coral Reef?
How much of the ocean is coral reef? Less than 0.1% of the ocean floor, about 284,000 sq km, yet reefs support around a quarter of marine species. Here is why.
A fresh random pick on every visit.
Reef Tank Tube Worms — Feather Dusters and Filter Feeders
TheSea.Org▸Reef Pests▸Reef Tank Tube Worms Reef Tank Tube Worms — Feather Dusters & Other Filter Feeders Reef Pests By Blane Perun 9 min read What are…
Whale Shark vs Blue Whale — Size, Diet & Key Differences
A blue whale is a mammal up to ~30 m and 150+ tonnes; a whale shark is a fish up to 18.8 m. Size, feeding, diving, hearts, lifespan and threats compared.
New Caledonia Coral Reef Maps
New Caledonia coral reef map: one of the world's longest barrier reefs, the World Heritage lagoon, Loyalty Islands and Isle of Pines, marine life and threats.
Do Sea Lions Bite? Bite Risk, Seal Finger & First Aid
Sea lions can and do bite, usually when fed, handled, cornered or sick. Why bites infect easily, what seal finger is, and first aid if a sea lion bites you.
Lizards — Facts, Types, Size Range & the Only Sea-Going Lizard
Lizards are scaly reptiles of the order Squamata, with about 8,000 species from a 22 mm chameleon to the 3 m Komodo dragon. Facts, behaviour and marine lizards.
Bucharest, Romania — Little Paris, the Palace of the Parliament and the Antipa Museum
Bucharest, Romania's capital of 1.7 million, mixes Belle Epoque boulevards, the giant Palace of the Parliament and the Grigore Antipa natural history museum.
Are Ribbon Worms Dangerous? Toxins, Stylets and Real Risk
Ribbon worms are not dangerous to touch, but many carry potent toxins, some even tetrodotoxin, and should never be eaten. How their venomous proboscis works.
Transylvania — The Central Romanian Region Ringed by the Carpathian Mountains
TheSea.Org▸Travels▸Europe▸Carpathian interior▸Transylvania Transylvania — The Central Romanian Region Ringed by the Carpathian Mountains Romania ▸ Transylvania ▸ Carpathian ring By Blane Perun Visited multiple 10 min…
Spook Fish — Transparent Head, Rotating Barrel Eyes, Hunts by Silhouette
TheSea.Org▸ Bizarre Sea Creatures▸ Spook Fish Spook Fish — Macropinna microstoma Bizarre Sea Creatures By Blane Perun April 19, 2026 9 min read What is the…
Prehistoric Marine Reptiles — Ichthyosaurs, Plesiosaurs & Mosasaurs
Prehistoric marine reptiles ruled Mesozoic seas for 180+ million years: ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs and more. Sizes, biology, fossils and extinction.
Charles Vane — The Pirate Who Refused a Royal Pardon
TheSea.Org▸Pirates▸Charles Vane Charles Vane — The Pirate Who Refused a Royal Pardon Pirates By Blane Perun April 15, 2026 9 min read Who was Charles Vane?…
Are There Plastic Islands in the Ocean? The 5 Garbage Patches
There are no solid plastic islands, but five ocean gyres concentrate floating plastic into garbage patches. Where they are, how they form and what is in them.
Scallop Shell — The Swimming Bivalve With Up to 200 Eyes
Scallops are bivalves that swim by clapping their shells and see with up to 200 mirror eyes. Learn scallop types, Florida species and what the symbol means.
Bearded Fireworm — Reef Bristleworm With Neurotoxin-Tipped Hairs
TheSea.Org▸Reef Pests▸Bearded Fireworm Bearded Fireworm — Hermodice carunculata Reef Pests By Blane Perun 9 min read What is a bearded fireworm? The bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata)…
When Do Sea Lions Sleep? On Land, at Sea and With Half a Brain
Sea lions sleep when not hunting: for hours on rocks and docks, or floating at sea with flippers raised. In water, eared seals can sleep with half the brain.
Are Sea Urchins Decomposers?
No. Sea urchins are grazers and omnivores, not decomposers. How they shred kelp, feed gut bacteria and speed up recycling by true decomposers.
Coral Reefs, Survivors of the Ages — Endurance Through Mass Extinctions
Coral reefs survived all five mass extinctions, but each time they collapsed for millions of years. What the fossil record says about reef resilience today.
Tuna Species — All 15 True Tunas Compared
There are 15 true tuna species in five genera, from the 1,500-lb Atlantic bluefin to the tiny bullet tuna. Compare sizes, records, ranges and status.
More fresh additions to the site.
Florida Lighthouses — History, Heights and Which Ones You Can Climb
Florida's historic lighthouses: St. Augustine, Ponce Inlet, Cape Florida, Jupiter Inlet, Key West and Sanibel, with dates, heights, steps and visiting notes.
Squid Fishing — Jigs, Lights and the World’s Squid Fleets
How squid fishing works: night lights, jigs, purse seines and trawls, the global catch of over 3 million tonnes, US squid fisheries, and the rules for anglers.
Strawberry Squid — The Cock-Eyed Squid With One Big Yellow Eye
The strawberry squid is a red, light-spotted deep-sea squid with one big upward eye and one small downward eye. How its odd eyes work and where it lives.
Long-form guides, complete and cited
Each piece is a full field guide — taxonomy, behavior, habitat, and conservation status — not a listicle. Six of the most-read are below, plus octopus adaptations, giant squid lifespan, and adaptations of a dumbo octopus for further reading.
Bobbit Worm — Ambush Predator Buried in Reef Sediment That Can Bisect Fish
TheSea.Org▸ Bizarre Sea Creatures▸ Bobbit Worm Bobbit Worm — Eunice aphroditois Bizarre Sea Creatures By Blane Perun April 15, 2026 9 min read What is a…
Bizarre Sea Creatures
Giant Squid — Architeuthis dux, the Deep-Sea Legend Photographed in 2004
TheSea.Org▸Squid▸Giant Squid Giant Squid — Architeuthis dux, the Deep-Sea Legend Photographed in 2004 SquidBy Blane Perun11 min read What is a giant squid? The giant squid…
Squid
Gulper Eel — The Deep-Sea Fish With a Mouth Bigger Than Its Body
The gulper eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides) hunts at 500-3,000 m with a mouth a quarter of its length. How it feeds, its glowing tail, size and life cycle.
Bizarre Sea Creatures
Parts of a Squid — A Head-to-Tail Field Guide to Cephalopod Anatomy
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Squid▸Parts of a Squid Parts of a Squid — A Head-to-Tail Field Guide Squid Q&A By Blane Perun 8 min read What are the main…
Squid Q&A
Sea Pig — Abyssal Sea Cucumber That Herds in Thousands on the Ocean Floor
Sea pigs (Scotoplanes) are deep-sea sea cucumbers that walk on hydraulic legs at 1,200-5,000 m. How they feed, find whale falls, and shelter baby crabs.
Bizarre Sea Creatures
Deep Sea Anglerfish — Bioluminescent Lure & Parasitic Males Fused for Life
Deep sea anglerfish: about 160 species with glowing bacterial lures, 6 mm males that fuse to females, what they eat, how deep they live and how they were filmed.
Bizarre Sea Creatures
Close to page one — give them a read.
Parts of a Pirate Ship — Labeled Diagram and Glossary
Parts of a pirate ship explained with a labeled diagram: bow, stern, bowsprit, quarterdeck, masts, sails, rigging, gun ports, hold, plus a 33-term glossary.
Pirate Ship Names — Real Pirate Ships, Their Captains and Fates
Real pirate ship names with captains, years and fates: Queen Anne's Revenge, Whydah Gally, Royal Fortune, Adventure Galley, Fancy and more, plus naming habits.
Rounding out the most-visited stories.
Was Blackbeard Real
TheSea.Org▸Pirates▸Blackbeard Was Blackbeard Real — The Man Behind the Myth Pirates By Blane Perun 7 min read The short answer Yes. Edward Teach — Blackbeard —…
Pirates Blackbeard
Dumbo Octopus — The Deepest-Living Octopus, Found at Nearly 7,000 Metres
TheSea.Org▸ Bizarre Sea Creatures▸ Dumbo Octopus Dumbo Octopus — Grimpoteuthis Bizarre Sea Creatures By Blane Perun April 19, 2026 9 min read What is a Dumbo…
Bizarre Sea Creatures
Giant Pacific Octopus Size — How Big the World’s Largest Octopus Species Actually Gets
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Octopus▸Giant Pacific Octopus▸Giant Pacific Octopus Size Giant Pacific Octopus Size — How Big the World's Largest Octopus Species Actually Gets Giant Pacific Octopus Q&ABy Blane…
Octopus Pacific Q&A
Squid Eggs — Gelatinous Masses of a Thousand Tiny Embryos
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Squid▸Squid Eggs Squid Eggs — Gelatinous Masses of a Thousand Tiny Embryos Squid Q&A By Blane Perun 9 min read What are squid eggs? Squid…
Squid Q&A
Megalodon vs Blue Whale — Is Megalodon Bigger? Size Comparison
Is megalodon bigger than a blue whale? No. Blue whales reach 33.6 m and 190 t; megalodon 15-18 m typical, 24 m max. Scale chart, weight, bite, teeth compared.
Whales Q&A
Three sources dominate ocean content online. Here is how this one is built differently.
Eighty countries of fieldwork — not all of it underwater. The places that frame the dives, in their own right.
The Valley of the Kings
Tombs cut for the New Kingdom pharaohs. Tutankhamun, Ramesses II, Seti I — the entire roster of Egypt’s golden age, sealed into one limestone valley.
Petra — the Rose City
Carved into Jordan’s red sandstone by the Nabataeans. Two thousand years later, it still feels like a place that should not exist.
Jaffa — the oldest port
One of the oldest continuously occupied ports on Earth. The harbour where the cedars of Lebanon entered Solomon’s temple.
The Dead Sea — ten times saltier
The lowest land surface on the planet. A place where the laws of swimming temporarily suspend themselves.
The reefs I have come back to most often. From the Andaman to the Caribbean, with notes on how reef bleaching reaches the surface and what actually slows it.
The Andaman Sea — the Bay of Bengal’s hidden reef province
Off the western coast of Thailand and the Andaman archipelago, a stretch of reef as biologically rich as anything in the Coral Triangle — with monsoon-driven visibility windows that make it accessible to divers only six months out of the year.
Field notes from Phuket, the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, and the Burma Banks — including the long-distance return migrations of whale sharks, the mass spawning aggregations of Pacific cephalopods on the rim, and the role of sea turtle habitat in shaping the seagrass meadows beyond the reef edge.
Read the full report →The most recent reports, updated automatically.
What Do Squid Eat? Fish, Crustaceans, Other Squid and Plankton
Squid eat fish, shrimp, crabs and other squid, and hatchlings start on copepods. How squid hunt, how much they eat, and what each well-known species feeds on.
The Kraken — The Legend, Its Origins and the Real Giant Squid
Where the kraken legend came from: Norwegian fishermen, Egede and Pontoppidan, a ship-sinking octopus engraving, and the giant squid that made the monster real.
How Long Do Seahorses Live? Lifespan in the Wild and in Aquariums
Most seahorses live about 1 to 5 years: around a year for the smallest species, 3 to 5 for larger ones. What tagging studies show, and how seadragons compare.
Blane Perun
Marine biologist, underwater photographer, and founder of TheSea.Org — online since 1999. Reef keeper and coral grower since 1996, traveler across more than 80 countries, and a diver from the Caribbean to the Red Sea and the South Pacific, with a particular focus on coral reef systems.
