Don Silcock

Diving the Ogasawara Islands

Diving the Ogasawara Islands… Often referred to as the Oriental Galapagos, the Ogasawara archipelago is located in the north-west Pacific Ocean. About 1000km south of Tokyo and is one of the most isolated and remote parts of Japan. The …

The Sharks of Protea Banks

The Sharks of Protea Banks… It is often described as the African equivalent of the Gulf Stream. One of the world’s most powerful oceanic currents – moving almost 70 million tons of water a second! Its name is the Agulhas Current and it forms to …

The Bahamas Shark Sanctuary

The Bahamas Shark Sanctuary – The true relationship between sharks and man in the sea is not that easy to understand. We are after all terrestrial creatures that submerge under the water briefly at best. So our opportunities to even comprehend …

Tiger Beach – Like Nowhere Else….

Tiger Beach… Simply stated this shallow sandy area, some 30km north-west of West End on Grand Bahama, is like nowhere else. And, without doubt, it is the best place in the Bahamas to experience sharks – in particular the Tiger …

Chinchorro Crocodiles Encounters…

Chinchorro Crocodiles… The pursuit of unusual and compelling photo-opportunities has led me on some interesting journeys over the last few years. But few come close to the raw excitement of photographing the American Crocodiles of Mexico’s …

The Giant Japanese Salamander

The Giant Japanese Salamander is a quite unique, if rather mysterious, creature that lives in rivers across western and south-western Japan. As endemic species of Japan that is protected under federal legislation. It is formally nominated as a …

Oceanic Whitetip Sharks

The Oceanic Whitetip Sharks of Cat Island… It seems almost unbelievable that as recently as the mid-1960’s Carcharhinus longimanus, the Oceanic Whitetip shark, was widely considered to be one of the most abundant large animals in the …

Great Hammerhead Sharks of Bimini

The Great Hammerhead sharks of Bimini really are very special… There is literally nowhere else in the world where you can come face-to-face with these incredible animals so reliably. Large, increasingly rare and generally solitary animals …

Australian Leafy Seadragons

The Incredible Australian Leafy Seadragon… Australia is famous for its many iconic and often strange looking creatures. Both above and below the water, but few are as unique and visually spectacular as the Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus …

The Amazing Australian Giant Cuttlefish

The Amazing Australian Giant Cuttlefish – The first ones start to appear in early May, as the southern hemisphere autumn fades away and the winter months loom. Initially they just blend in with the abundant seagrass. And, to the casual …

Nikon D500 First Impressions

The Nikon D500 Underwater… Why Nikon never released a D400 follow-up to the successful D300 “prosumer” DSLR will probably never be known. Certainly though, the internet forums have plenty of theories!A Blue Shark passes …

Aircraft Wrecks of PNG

The aircraft wrecks of Papua New Guinea offer some of the best and most interesting, dives in the country… PNG was a major battle theater during the Second World War. Many lives were lost on both sides in the bitter fighting between the …