Macro Mauritius

Published 7 years agoon December 13, 2018

A miracle of minutiae: Nobody comes to Mauritius for macro life photography…. yet!

I’ve spent two and a half years diving in Mauritius and although we have whales, dolphins, rays, turtles, massive shoals of tuna, sharks and sailfin, with wrecks, deep dives, and gorgeous corals, there was very little interest in macro life. Bali specializes in macro life, and I dived there with a group of 8 photographers from all over the world who went there only to photograph the macro life. It was rich abundant and fascinating. And an absolute treasure hunt. Now it seems Mauritius too is rich in macro life.

Thomas Vignaud PhD has a doctorate in Shark genetics nutrition and behavior and he has arrived on the Island to start a research project. He showed us a world of amazing creatures we did not even know were in our waters, and photographed them for us and for Scubaverse.

An international award- winning photographer, Thomas’ view of marine critters is exceptional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lugcJkFu5GI

Gorgonian shrimp, creeping inside the fan of a huge gorgonian on Coin de Mire Island

Gorgonian Goby found on Djabeda wreck soft corals

Hairy Finger Coral Crab, almost impossible to find, and difficult to photograph

Copopod on Hydrozoa, likely from the Aglaophenia genus

Macro photography is a photographer’s dream. The critters are still, they are there and they are great to edit. Mauritius has just added a new interest to its amazing diving, and one which I, for one, am looking forward to exploring.

Words: Jill Holloway
Copyright Ocean Spirit www.osdiving.com
Images by Dr Thomas Vignaud: For more from Thomas click here.

Jill Holloway

Jill Holloway lives in Mauritius and at Sodwana Bay Isimangaliso Wetland Park in South Africa. A PADI qualified Nitrox diver with over 1,500 dives, she is a passionate observer and preserver of the marine environment, and has a database of over 35,000 fish pics and hundreds of Gopro videos on fish behaviour, which she shares with her readers.