Carol Strachan Photography

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Carol Strachan Photography

Wildlife and underwater photography. Landscapes, cities and towns.

10/28/2026

Feather dusters (Polycheate Worms) are part of the group called Segmented Worms. They are a good test of a photographer's buoyancy and patience as it is hard to get close enough for a good image without disturbing the water around them.

The most visible part are the fine branches at the top that they use to filter feed. The rest is a tube shaped body that they can retreat into in seconds if they feel threatened. Some species are close to invisible once they have retreated into their tube where they then look like any other small hole or gap in the reef.

Here are two different types from my recent dive trip to Grand Cayman. First is the Social Feather Duster which grows in a colony and if threatened or injured is able to regrow its crown if needed. Second is the Brown Fan worm which lives individually and is also able to retreat into its tube in seconds.

Images taken in October 2026, Canon R5 and Canon 100 MM macro, Aquatica housing and two Ikelite DS 160's.

10/26/2026

Cleaning stations: We found this moray eel beside a nice large grouper at a cleaning station. In the background there's a blue striped cleaner wrasse in the process of removing parasites, dead skin and mucus from the eel. If you look closely you can also see the extra rows of teeth inside the upper jaw.

An easy way to spot a cleaning station is to look for a larger fish holding itself unusually still or in an odd position. Cleaning stations are established at specific sections of a reef which the client fish or in this case a moray eel learn and remember. Just one of the many behaviours that play out underwater that scuba divers are able to witness.

10/23/2026

Save the date! I will be joining the Toronto Art Crawl on The Bentway November 7. Hope to see you there!

10/23/2026

We had a number of Eagle Rays pass by over a week of diving. Although they can sometimes be out of strobe range, I like photographing them against the blue where they stand out from the background. When they are over the sand or coral fingers they blend in to the background making it harder to appreciate the beautiful patterns on their back and the elegant sweep of their sides and tail.

This dive site is Hep's Pipeline on the north west side of Grand Cayman. Image taken October 2026

10/22/2026

There is something incredibly relaxing about stepping off a dive boat in warm water where you can see the bottom that is 75 feet below. I have spent a lot of time diving in Cayman, much of it with the same dive company and have accumulated a lot of muscle and mental memories. But it never gets old.

Here is a sleeping nurse shark to brighten up your day.

10/09/2026

The shape and height of whale blow is one way to distinguish different whale species from a distance. Blue and Fin whales tend to produce tall thin sprays whereas Humpbacks produce a lower, wider spray. When I am in an area where there are humpbacks, I like to listen for the distinctive "pfft" sound that they make when they surface. It's a sound that lets you know that something special is about to happen. Here's a couple that I was able to capture including one making a rainbow in the afternoon sun.

10/07/2026

Humpbacks have been a favourite of mine ever I was able to snorkel with them in the Silver Bank Marine Preserve. The action was continuous over the three hours we were out near Brier Island. We watched this pair slap their huge pec fins repeatedly. This one seemed to tire and was content to float on its back with both pec fins in the air. So grateful to be able to watch these beauties going about their day.

10/05/2026

No trip to Canada's east coast is complete without some whale watching. Luckily Brier Island is only a short drive and two ferry rides away from Pubnico and the Atlantic Shark Expeditions. The fog was heavy as we headed out which made for some moody images. The conditions changed every 15 minutes and my images from that afternoon look like they were taken over 5 different days.

Here are a few from the foggy start.

10/02/2026

Here's a fun series featuring Tank a 15 foot, female Great White shark. Tank earned her name as one of the larger sharks that the Atlantic Shark Expeditions team have identified. It was the end of the day and I was the last rotation in the cage. Tank comes in at a good speed to grab the bait and doesn't turn in time so I found myself with a shark snout at the end of my camera dome. In the third image she is less than the minimal focus distance for my settings so it admittedly the foreground is a bit soft. In the next image she is backing away to turn and heads off unfazed.

The latter two images show the spacing between the cage bars and clearly neither of us were going to get any closer. Between the two of us, I expect I was the more excited after the experience and being able to grab a few images. Definitely a moment I won't forget!

Images taken as citizen scientist cage divers under Species at Risk Permit to Atlantic Shark Expeditions DFO-MAR-2026-08a

09/30/2026

Cage diving participants with Atlantic Shark Expeditions help fund and contribute to the research undertaken by Dr Hammerschlag and his team. Atlantic Shark Expeditions promotes shark conservation through research and education in addition to their scientific work.

Safety for sharks and humans was a big factor for me as I was considering this trip. Where the Atlantic Shark Expeditions cage differs from images I have seen of other cage diving operations, is there are no openings where a shark could get caught or accidently get into the cage. The openings are small enough that I had to use a 4 inch dome port and still many of my images include the cage frame at the edge.

The largest opening is at the top where you enter and is protected by a walkway and waist high railing. The walkway enables the crew to monitor the action, take identification videos and conduct testing. There are two dive masters who are solely focused on the cage divers.

The first image was taken with my UW camera just as I was about to drop into the cage. It’s a very odd perspective because I am using a fish eye lens – but it gives an idea of the set up. In the second two images, Dr Hammerschlag and the team are trying to obtain a mucosal swab. They were successful in swabbing two different sharks that day.

Images taken as citizen scientist cage divers under Species at Risk Permit to Atlantic Shark Expeditions DFO-MAR-2026-08a

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