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Pacific Rim Divers Limited

@pacificrimdivers

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Serving Kailua-Kona, HI for over 25 years. Book daily Scuba/snorkel/Manta charters via our website! Learn along with us about Hawaii marine life!

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At Garden Eel Cove in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, the ocean transforms into a mesmerizing spectacle at night. Bright lights attract plankton, drawing majestic manta rays into view. These gentle giants glide effortlessly through the water, feeding on the tiny organisms illuminated in the glow.

Fun fact: Manta rays have the largest brain-to-body ratio of any fish, making them highly intelligent and curious creatures.

Experience this unforgettable encounter firsthand. Book a manta dive or snorkel with Pacific Rim Divers and witness the magic of these incredible rays up close

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems #manta #mantaray by @pacificrimdivers

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10 months ago

🎥 Day 2: Hawksbill vs. Green Turtle
Scientific names: Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill), Chelonia mydas (Green)
Hawaiian names: Honu ʻea (Hawksbill), Honu (Green)

Same honu ʻea from yesterday—now sparing with a honu over a favored resting spot. While green turtles graze on algae and seagrass, hawksbills prefer sponge-covered ledges. Territorial interactions like this are rare but can happen when reef space is limited.

🧠 Fun fact: Honu have strong site fidelity—returning to the same reef ledges or basking zones for years.

📸 Compare with yesterday’s still photo to see shell shape and behavior differences

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, flip diopters (UCL-09 & UCL-900PRO)

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems #turtles by @pacificrimdivers

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a year ago

Free-Swimming Commerson’s Frogfish in Kona

Common name: Commerson’s Frogfish (Giant Frogfish)
Scientific name: Antennarius commerson
Hawaiian name: No formal name documented

This rare footage shows a free-swimming A. commerson off the Kona coast. Usually sedentary, this frogfish is more often seen camouflaged on sponges or reef rock. It uses modified pectoral fins to “walk” and a lure (illicium) to attract prey. When swimming, it pulses its body and uses jet propulsion from its gill openings. Coloration varies widely—brown, yellow, red, or black—depending on habitat.

🧠 Fun fact: Commerson’s frogfish can swallow prey nearly as large as themselves by expanding their mouths to 12 times their resting size.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems #frogfish by @pacificrimdivers

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a year ago

White‑margin Nudibranch

Common name: White‑margin Nudibranch
Scientific name: Glossodoris rufomarginata
Hawaiian name: No documented name

Video of a White‑margin Nudibranch at the Carpenters House dive site in Kona. This species lives on coral and rocky reef surfaces and feeds on specific sponges. Individuals move slowly using a muscular foot and show mantle movements that help them sense water flow. The species occurs across the Indo‑Pacific, including Hawaiʻi.

🧠 Fun fact: Many Glossodoris nudibranchs release distasteful chemicals from mantle glands when disturbed, a defense gained from the sponges they eat.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems

#nudibranch #nudibranchs #seaslugsofhawaii by @pacificrimdivers

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a month ago

Gosline’s Fangblenny

Common name: Gosline’s Fangblenny
Scientific name: Plagiotremus goslinei
Hawaiian name: No documented name

Video of a Gosline’s Fangblenny at the Carpenters House dive site in Kona. This individual was holed up in an abandoned worm hole in the wall of an underwater canyon. Fangblennies use crevices and holes as shelter and feeding stations. They feed on small invertebrates and are part of a group known for enlarged canine teeth and quick darting movements.

🧠 **Fun fact:** Some fangblennies produce venom that reduces pain in predators, helping them escape. *Plagiotremus goslinei* is not one of the venomous species but shares similar defensive behaviors.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems by @pacificrimdivers

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a month ago

Photo • Freckled Wire Coral Shrimp — Pontonides sp. 2 — No Known Hawaiian Name

A freckled wire coral shrimp found at the Golden Arches dive site in Kona. This shrimp lives in close association with wire corals, where its body pattern helps it blend into the branches of its host. Like other members of the genus Pontonides, it spends much of its life on a single coral colony, feeding on suspended particles and material collected from the coral surface.

Fun fact:
Freckled wire coral shrimp are often easier to find by locating the wire coral first. Even when in plain sight, their camouflage can make them difficult to spot.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems by @pacificrimdivers

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2 months ago

Photo • Whitemouth Moray — Gymnothorax meleagris — Puhi

A whitemouth moray found at the Golden Arches dive site in Kona. This species is recognized by its dark body covered in small white spots and the pale interior of its mouth that gives it its common name. Puhi spend much of the day sheltering in holes and crevices, emerging to hunt fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Their open-mouth posture is normal and helps move water across the gills for breathing.

Fun fact:
Moray eels have a second set of jaws in their throat, called pharyngeal jaws, which help pull prey deeper into the mouth after a bite.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems by @pacificrimdivers

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2 months ago

Photo • Locust Nudibranch — Hypselodoris peasei — No Known Hawaiian Name

A locust nudibranch found at the Golden Arches dive site in Kona. Hypselodoris peasei is a dorid nudibranch found in Hawaiʻi and other parts of the Indo-Pacific. Like many nudibranchs, it feeds on sponges and incorporates chemical compounds from its diet as a defense against predators. The feathery structure at the rear of the body is a gill plume, while the pair of rhinophores on the head are used to detect chemical cues in the water.

Fun fact:
Unlike sea slugs with a protective shell, nudibranchs rely on chemical defenses, camouflage, and warning coloration for protection.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems

#nudibranch #nudibranchs #seaslugsofhawaii by @pacificrimdivers

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2 months ago

Photo • Hawaiian Swimming Crab — Goniosupradens hawaiensis — Pāpaʻi Holoholo

A Hawaiian swimming crab found at the Turtle Pinnacle dive site in Kona. This species belongs to the swimming crab family, with flattened rear legs adapted for moving through the water. Pāpaʻi Holoholo is found on reef edges, sand, and rubble habitats, where it feeds on small invertebrates and scavenges for food. The species was formerly classified as Charybdis hawaiensis, a name still commonly encountered in older field guides and websites.

Fun fact:
Unlike most crabs, swimming crabs can use their paddle-shaped rear legs to swim and can quickly bury themselves in sand, leaving only their eyes exposed.

Pāpaʻi is the Hawaiian word for crab, and holoholo means to travel or move about—a fitting name for one of Hawaiʻi's swimming crabs.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems by @pacificrimdivers

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2 months ago

Photo • Wire Coral Goby — Bryaninops yongei — No Known Hawaiian Name

A wire coral goby found at the Turtle Pinnacle dive site in Kona. This small goby lives in close association with wire and whip corals, where it spends much of its time perched among the branches. Bryaninops yongei is found throughout the Indo-Pacific, including Hawaiʻi, and feeds primarily on zooplankton carried by the current. It is often seen alone or in pairs on a single coral host.

Fun fact:
Wire coral gobies can change sex during their lifetime. They are usually found in pairs and may switch sex to maintain a breeding pair on their host coral.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems by @pacificrimdivers

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2 months ago

Dwarf Moray Eel

Common name: Dwarf Moray
Scientific name: Gymnothorax melatremus
Hawaiian name: No documented name

Photos of a Dwarf Moray Eel at the Freeze Face dive site in Kona. This species is one of the smallest morays in Hawaiʻi and often stays deep inside narrow crevices with only the head exposed. Individuals feed on small fishes and crustaceans and rely on quick strikes and pharyngeal jaws to pull prey into the throat. Juveniles and adults show yellow to golden coloration with a dark spot at the gill opening.

🧠 Fun fact: Dwarf Morays rarely exceed about 30 centimeters, making them one of the smallest morays encountered on Hawaiian reefs.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems by @pacificrimdivers

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2 months ago

Juvenile Peacock Razor Wrasse

Common name: Peacock Razor Wrasse
Scientific name: Iniistius pavo
Hawaiian name: Laenihi

Photos of a tiny juvenile Peacock Razor Wrasse at the Freeze Face dive site in Kona. This individual was less than half an inch long and almost translucent, which is typical for very young juveniles. The species lives on reef flats and slopes and is known for diving into sand when threatened. Juveniles move through rubble and algae while feeding on small invertebrates.

🧠 Fun fact: Peacock Razor Wrasses can disappear into sand in seconds, using rapid fin movements to bury themselves.

#Olympus @omsystem.cameras E-M10 Mark 4 in a @backscattervideophoto AOI housing w/Hybrid Flash, M.Zuiko 90mm and Sola spotting light. @diveshearwater computers!

#underwater #underwaterphoto #uwphotography #wetpixel #scuba #scubalife #scubaworld #scubadiver #scubadiving #scubadive #scubadivingmag #kailuakona #kona #hawaii #daily_dose_of_scuba #ocean #oceanlife @daily_scuba_photos @soakedpixels @paditv @diving_photography @moisthawaii @daily_dose_of_scuba @sea.life.explorer @poseidondivingsystems by @pacificrimdivers

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2 months ago