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.
Stromatoporoids — Extinct Sponges That Built Ancient Reefs
Stromatoporoids were extinct sponges that built huge reefs from the Ordovician to the Devonian. What they were, how to spot their fossils and why they vanished.
Scuba Certification Cost in 2026 — Every Level From Open Water to Instructor
Scuba certification cost varies by shop: PADI Open Water ran $525-$1,051 at US/Cayman shops checked Nov 2026 and 12,950 baht on Koh Tao. Advanced, Rescue, Divemaster, IDC.
Belize Diving Guide — The Great Blue Hole, Hol Chan and the Barrier Reef
Belize diving guide: the 124-m-deep Great Blue Hole, Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, three offshore atolls, seasons and what to expect.
Thresher Shark — The Tail That Stuns Its Prey (All 3 Species Explained)
Thresher shark facts: a tail as long as its body used to stun sardines, the 3 species (common, pelagic, bigeye), size up to 5.7 m, diving Malapascua and status.
Devil Ray vs Manta Ray — How to Tell Mobula Rays Apart
Devil ray vs manta ray: mantas are bigger with a front-facing mouth; devil rays have an underslung mouth, are smaller and leap in schools. Both are Mobula.
Captain James Cook — The Navigator Who Mapped the Pacific and Crossed the Antarctic Circle
Captain James Cook charted New Zealand and eastern Australia, first crossed the Antarctic Circle, proved the chronometer at sea and beat scurvy.
How Do Whales Sleep? Half-Brain Naps and Vertical Drifting
How do whales sleep? Most rest one half of the brain at a time so they can keep breathing, while sperm whales nap hanging vertically near the surface.
Do We Have Better Maps of Mars Than the Ocean Floor? Yes, Here’s Why
Yes, Mars is better mapped than Earth's seafloor: 99.5% at 5 m per pixel versus about 29% of the ocean floor by sonar. Why water blocks satellites.
Ocean Food Web — How Energy Flows From Plankton to Whales
The ocean food web runs from phytoplankton to apex predators like orcas and sharks. Trophic levels, examples, the 10% rule, decomposers and human impacts.
Scuba Diving Goggles — Why You Need a Mask, Not Goggles
You cannot scuba dive in swimming goggles: they don't cover your nose, so you can't equalize them and risk eye squeeze. What to wear instead and what it costs.
Black-Banded Sea Krait (Laticauda semifasciata) — Facts & Venom
The black-banded sea krait (Laticauda semifasciata) is a stout, highly venomous krait of the western Pacific. Size, range, diet, eggs, venom and IUCN status.
Is It Safe to Swim in the Ocean at Night? Risks and Precautions
Night swimming in the ocean is riskier than by day: no lifeguards, hidden rip currents, more active predators and stingers. The real risks and how to stay safe.
Day Octopus — The Only Octopus That Hunts in Daylight — and Punches Fish That Cheat
TheSea.Org▸Octopus▸Day Octopus Day Octopus — Octopus cyanea: Diurnal Reef Hunter That Cooperates With Groupers OctopusBy Blane Perun10 min read What is a day octopus? The day…
Zooplankton — The Drifting Animals That Feed the Sea
Zooplankton are drifting animals, from copepods and krill to larvae and jellies. How they feed, migrate each night, feed fisheries and respond to a warming sea.
Smalltooth Sawfish — Florida’s Endangered Sawfish and Its Comeback
Smalltooth sawfish facts: ID tips, growth to 30+ years, Charlotte Harbor nurseries, virgin births, the Keys die-off, and what to do if you hook one.
Coral Reef Underwater Park Trail — Map & Guide to Snorkel Trails
Coral reef underwater park trails explained: a map and guide to marked snorkel trails at Trunk Bay, Buck Island, John Pennekamp and Bonaire, plus reef tips.
NSU Oceanographic Center — Campus, Programs and Research
NSU's 10-acre Oceanographic Campus at Port Everglades, Florida: its 1966 origins, the Guy Harvey research center, degrees, and coral and shark research.
Goniopora stokesi — The Free-Living Flowerpot Coral of Sandy Lagoons
Goniopora stokesi is a free-living flowerpot coral of sandy lagoons. How unattached corals move, avoid burial and spread by daughter colonies, plus range and IUCN status.
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.
Bermuda Coral Reef Maps
Bermuda coral reef map: rim reefs, lagoon patch reefs and boiler reefs on a mid-Atlantic platform kept warm by the Gulf Stream. Wrecks, research and threats.
Reef Tunicates — the Sea Squirts That Are Our Strange Cousins
Tunicates (sea squirts) are reef filter feeders whose tadpole larva has a notochord, making them our closest invertebrate relatives. How they live and why.
Adaptations of a Dumbo Octopus — How a Soft-Bodied Animal Survives 4,000 Metres Down
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Octopus▸Dumbo Octopus▸Adaptations Of A Dumbo Octopus Adaptations of a Dumbo Octopus — How a Soft-Bodied Animal Survives 4,000 Metres Down Dumbo Octopus Q&A By Blane…
Giant Squid Compared to a Human — A 13-Metre Body, Most of It Tentacles
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Squid▸Giant Squid vs Human Giant Squid Compared to a Human — A 13-Metre Body, Most of It Tentacles Squid Q&A By Blane Perun 9 min…
Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) — Turning Fish Waste Into Crops
Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) farms fish beside shellfish, seaweed and sea cucumbers that use its waste. How it works, key sites and limits.
Shortfin Mako Shark
TheSea.Org▸Sharks▸Shortfin Mako Shark Shortfin Mako Shark — Isurus oxyrinchus, Isurus oxyrinchus, the Fastest Shark in the Ocean SharksBy Blane Perun11 min read What is a shortfin…
Cozumel Drift Diving Guide — Palancar, Santa Rosa Wall and Colombia
Cozumel drift diving guide: how the 1.5-knot channel current works, Palancar, Santa Rosa Wall, Colombia and Devil's Throat depths, plus drift technique tips.
Do Clownfish Need Anemones? In the Wild Yes, in Your Tank No
Do clownfish need anemones? Wild clownfish depend on host anemones to survive predators. Captive-bred clownfish thrive without one. Hosts, substitutes and tips.
Dive Trips — Every Destination Blane Perun Has Dived, Plus Turks & Caicos Diving
Dive trip guides to 26 destinations, from Bonaire, Cozumel and the Caymans to Moorea, Fiji, Vanuatu and the Red Sea, plus a Turks & Caicos wall-diving guide.
Millepora complanata — Blade Fire Coral Facts and ID Guide
Millepora complanata, the blade fire coral, grows stinging plates on Caribbean reef crests. Identification, venom research, bleaching and its IUCN status.
Nautilus repertus — Iredale’s 1944 Western Australian Nautilus
Nautilus repertus was named by Tom Iredale in 1944 from a Western Australian shell. What the name refers to, why its status is uncertain and what DNA shows.
What Are the Seven Seas? Ancient Meaning and Modern List
What are the seven seas? Today: the Arctic, North and South Atlantic, North and South Pacific, Indian and Southern oceans, plus the ancient lists and origins.
Scuba Diving BCD — Types, Fit, Prices and How to Choose One
A scuba BCD costs about $310-$550 for a basic jacket and $800-$1,000 for a plate and wing. Types, how buoyancy changes, lift, fit, safety and care.
The Octopus Life Cycle — Five Stages from Egg to Senescent Death in 6 Months to 5 Years
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Octopus▸Octopus Life Cycle The Octopus Life Cycle — Egg, Paralarva, Juvenile, Adult, Death — All in One to Five Years Octopus Q&A By Blane Perun…
Invertebrates Are 97% of All Animal Species
About 97% of animal species are invertebrates: some 1.3 million named versus around 70,000 vertebrates. Why they dominate, and why reefs show it best.
Blackbeard
TheSea.Org▸Pirates▸Blackbeard Blackbeard: Edward Teach and the Golden Age of Piracy Pirates By Blane Perun 10 min read Who was Blackbeard? Edward Teach — known to the…
Is an Octopus a Squid? No — and Here’s Why the Names Get Confused
TheSea.Org▸Marine Life▸Squid▸Is An Octopus A Squid Is an Octopus a Squid? — No — and Here’s Why the Names Get Confused Squid Q&A By Blane Perun…
Boxer Crab and Anemones — Why Pom-Pom Crabs Carry Living Weapons
Boxer crabs carry a tiny sea anemone in each claw to deter predators and gather food, tear anemones in two to clone them, and steal them from rivals.
A fresh random pick on every visit.
How Big Is a Flapjack Octopus? Flapjack Octopus Size Explained
How big is a flapjack octopus? About 20 cm mantle length and 20-46 cm across when spread, under 1 kg, with 11 mm eggs. Plus its new name, Insigniteuthis.
Oceanographer vs Marine Biologist — Differences in Work, Degrees and Pay
Oceanographers study the ocean's water, currents, chemistry and seafloor; marine biologists study its life. Compare degrees, tools, jobs and BLS pay.
Crustaceans — Crabs, Lobsters, Shrimp, Krill and Their Relatives
Crustaceans are some 67,000 described arthropods, from krill and copepods to crabs and lobsters. Anatomy, moulting, larvae, main groups and why they matter.
Anguilla Coral Reef Maps
Anguilla coral reef map: fringing reefs around a low limestone island and its cays, Prickly Pear and Sandy Island, best snorkelling, reef life and key threats.
How Are Coral Reefs Formed? From Polyp to Atoll
Coral reefs form as polyps lay down limestone skeletons, coralline algae cement them and sea level shapes them into fringing reefs, barrier reefs and atolls.
How Many Sunken Cities Are There? The Real Count, Explained
There is no official count of sunken cities. Dozens of towns are well documented and 2,500+ submerged prehistoric sites are known in Europe alone. See why.
Do Marine Mammals Use 75% of Their Lung Capacity? Humans vs Whales
Classic sources say whales renew up to 90% of lung air per breath vs 10-15% for humans. What measurements show, and why deep divers dive on collapsed lungs.
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.
Coral Reef Annelids — the Segmented Worms of the Reef
Coral reef annelids: segmented worms such as Christmas-tree and feather-duster worms and stinging fireworms, and how they filter, recycle and feed reef fish.
What Do Hammerhead Sharks Eat? Stingrays, Crabs and Seagrass
What do hammerhead sharks eat? Great hammerheads hunt stingrays, bonnetheads crunch blue crabs and digest seagrass, and scalloped hammerheads dive for squid.
What Role Does the Squid Play in the Ocean Ecosystem? Predator and Prey
Squid are fast mid-level predators and a main food for whales, seals, seabirds and tuna, linking plankton to top predators. What squid eat and what eats them.
Oyster Reefs — Florida’s Living Water Filters
How oyster reefs form, how an eastern oyster filters up to 50 gallons a day, the fish and crabs they shelter, why reefs collapsed and how Florida restores them.
Dravuni Fiji Diving — Snorkel and Dive the Great Astrolabe Reef
Dravuni, Fiji: a village island at the north end of the Great Astrolabe Reef off Kadavu. Naiqoro Passage reserve, mantas, walls and lagoon snorkeling.
Sea Turtles in Florida — 5 Species, Where They Nest and Where to See Them
Sea turtles in Florida: loggerheads, greens and leatherbacks nest on its beaches by the tens of thousands. Here are the species, the best places and numbers.
Bermuda Coral Reef Maps
Bermuda coral reef map: rim reefs, lagoon patch reefs and boiler reefs on a mid-Atlantic platform kept warm by the Gulf Stream. Wrecks, research and threats.
Why is The Ranger significant in maritime history
TheSea.Org▸Pirates▸Charles Vane Why Is The Ranger Significant in Maritime History Pirates By Blane Perun 7 min read The short answer The Ranger is significant in maritime…
American Crocodile — Florida’s Comeback Croc (Size, Range, Diet & Facts)
The American crocodile lives from South Florida to Peru, grows to 4-5 m and is far shyer than its reputation. Size, range, diet, nesting, status and safety.
Solutions to Coral Reef Bleaching — What Everyone Can Do
Solutions to coral reef bleaching: cut emissions, reduce pollution and overfishing, protect and restore reefs, plus practical steps anyone can take to help.
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.
