Underwater Atomic (Nuclear) Explosion

Part of Operation Crossroad to test effects of nuclear weapons on Naval essels,Baker was a 23 KiloTon bomb detonated 90 ft underwater on July 25, 1946. 

Where the Namib Desert meets the Sea

The Southern Namib desert is home to some of the tallest and most spectacular dunes of the world, ranging in color from pink to vivid orange. These dunes continue right to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The cold waters of the sea brushing against the dunes of the Namib desert is one of the most surreal sights. While the sea coast extends for hundreds of miles, one of the best places to see these dunes is at Swakopmund. Known as Swakop in Namibia, it is the country's biggest coastal town and a mecca for Namibians on holiday. The city's German origins are quite pronounced in beautiful old German Colonial buildings throughout the city, making an even starker contrast for this town sitting at the edge of the Namib Desert. From here, helicopter ride is available that flies you around the Skeleton Coast and the Namib desert in general.

Kiss To Big Whale

Off the coast of Mexico has a tourist attraction, a meeting with the whales. What causes whales to leave a place in the ocean and to be friendly - is unclear. Perhaps they are fed by those who make their tourists. Maybe whales love to talk to people Photographer Justin Hoffman was able to capture those amazing moments. The group of tourists on the boat swam female gray whale calf. "It was an indescribable joy, everything began to stroke the whale, and he did not mind! And of course the most daring did kiss in memory "

Cliff House, San Francisco

The Cliff House is a restaurant perched on the headland above the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach, on the western side of San Francisco,California. It overlooks the site of the former Sutro Baths and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service. On the terrace of the Cliff House is a room-sized camera obscura.

The Cliff House features two restaurants, the casual dining Bistro Restaurant and the more formal Sutro's. Additionally, the Terrace Room serves a Sunday Brunch buffet. There is a gift shop in the building, and the historic Camera Obscura is on a deck overlooking the ocean.

Cliff House from Ocean beach

The Atlantic Ocean and The Caribbean Sea at Eleuthera

Eleuthera is one of several islands that lies within the archipelago in The Bahamas, about 80 km east of the capital city Nassau. It is long – about 180 km – and thin - only about 1.6 km wide in places. The light blue waters of the shallow Caribbean Sea on one side of the island stand out in stark contrast to the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean thousands of feet in depth. One of the best places to see this extraordinary juxtaposition is at the Glass Window Bridge.

The Glass Window Bridge is about two miles east of Upper Bogue and joins Gregory Town and Lower Bogue at the narrowest point on the island. It is one of the few places on earth where you can compare the rich blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean on one side of the road and the calm turquoise-green waters of the Exuma Sound (Caribbean Sea) on the other side, separated by a strip of rock just 30 feet wide.

Incredible Photos of Sharks and Dolphins Preying on Mackerel

British Wildlife photographer Christopher Swann swam in the midst of this frenetic battle of life and death to capture this images off the coast of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. Thousands of mackerel swam into a huge shimmering ball 30 feet in diameter to protect themselves from the predatory onslaught of dolphins and sharks. But as the shoal flees from deeper waters towards the surface, clusters of Cory's shearwaters begin to dive-bomb them from above. Left with no escape, the blue jack mackerel have little choice but to wait until the pod of short-beaked common dolphins have had their fill.

Christopher Swann has been involved in the professional diving arena as a diver, photographer and writer, for many years. He first came in contact with oilfield diving in 1965 when he made a film on the first commercial lock-out diving bell Purisima after coming to California from his native England to take a course at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara.

Since then he has worked for the French subsea company Comex, as a photographic technician in the North Sea oilfields and on the administrative staff of a small independent oil company in Indonesia. He was the head of the photographic department, and a crew member with the Johnson Sea Link I submersible, at the Harbor Branch Foundation in Florida. He has done archaeological work in the Mediterranean and dived on wharf inspection and maintenance contracts. In 1973, he was a subject in two 1,000ft chamber dives at the Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina.

The Ocean waves

Beauty of Nature - Cook Islands

Beauty of Nature - 

Cook Islands

When the Cook Islands was actually settled is unknown but achaeological digs put Rarotonga at 1500 years ago and Pukapuka at 2400 years ago.  Cook Islanders are believed to have come from a place called Avaiki. To find out more about the history of the Cook Islands contact:

The Cook Islands lies nestled between the islands of Tahiti (1 hour flight) and Fiji (3 hour flight).  The easiest way to locate it on a map is to find Hawaii, and do a mirror reflection of Hawaii over the equator. There are 15 islands in the Cook Islands, divided up into two groups: the Northern and Southern Groups. 

Capital: 

Avarua, 

Population: 

11,124, 

Location: 

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand, 

Chief of State: 

Prime Minister Henry Puna, 

Head of State: 

Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Sir Frederick Goodwin   

Currency: New Zealand Dollars

The Oldest And the Most Unique ship In The World

The Oldest And the Most Unique ship In The World 

The U.S. Office of Naval Research owns a very strange piece of oceanographic equipment. It’s called the FLoating Instrument Platform (FLIP), conceived and developed by the Marine Physical Laboratory (MPL) at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California. FLIP isn't a ship, even though researchers live and work on it for weeks at a time while they conduct scientific studies in the open ocean. It is actually a huge specialized buoy. The most unusual thing about this ship is it really flips.

FLIP is 355 feet (108 meters) long with small quarters at the front and a long hollow ballast at the end. When the tanks are filled with air, FLIP floats in its horizontal position. But when they are filled with seawater the lower 300 feet of FLIP sinks under the water and the lighter end rises. When flipped, most of the buoyancy for the platform is provided by water at depths below the influence of surface waves, hence FLIP is a stable platform mostly immune to wave action. At the end of a mission, compressed air is pumped into the ballast tanks in the flooded section and the vessel returns to its horizontal position so it can be towed to a new location.

During the flip, everyone stands on the outside decks. As FLIP flips, the decks slowly become bulkheads and the bulkhead becomes the deck. Most rooms on FLIP have two doors; one to use when horizontal, the other when FLIP is vertical. Some of FLIP's furnishings are built so they can rotate to a new position as FLIP flips. Other equipment must be unbolted and moved. Some things, like tables in the galley (kitchen) and sinks in the washroom, are built twice so one is always in the correct position. The entire flip operation takes twenty-eight minutes. When FLIP stands vertically, it rises more than five stories into the air.

FLIP was created 50 years ago, in 1962, by two Scripps scientists, Drs. Fred Fisher and Fred Spiess, because they needed a more quiet and stable place than a research ship to study how sound waves behave under water. Ships were unsuitable as they bob up and down and roll side to side.

FLIP is designed to study wave height, acoustic signals, water temperature and density, and for the collection of meteorological data. Because of the potential interference with the acoustic instruments, FLIP has no engines or other means of propulsion. It must be towed to open water, where it drifts freely or is anchored. When FLIP is in its vertical position it is both extremely stable and quiet. 

Goliath Tiger Fish

Goliath Tiger Fish

Goliath Tiger Fish is one of the most fearsome killers freshwater has ever found. It got ranked as one of the top 10 hardest-fighting freshwater fish on the world by “Fisherman’ magazine”. It can weigh over 100 pounds and its mouth is armed with 32 razor-sharp teeth which can shear trough the strongest steel leaders and even straighten hooks. Goliath tiger fishes can found in many rivers and lakes on the continent.

Mostly, Goliath Tiger Fish is found in the Congo River system being the largest of the family, which is one of the recognizable and ordinary species in Southern Africa. Its teeth are as sharp as knife and its jaws and muscles are very strong. It can grow up to 24 inches. Mostly it is seen in three color silver-white-grey, but some times these fishes also found in a metallic orange or yellow sheen. It is the only fish which can live in water impure by sulfur, According to research.

РThe Goliath Tigerfish caught between dawn and nightfall. The Goliath is a difficult fish to catch. A 30-40 pound fish is considered a great catch, while 50-60 pounders would be a monster. Goliath Tigerfish is the world’s largest member of the Characins which includes of all of the fish in the following families tetras, dollars, pencilfish, and piranhas.

They are famous for their ferocity when hunting. The tiger fish are aggressive predators and have razor sharp teeth which are inter-locking, together with their streamlined, muscular body built for speed. They have also a gas-filled sac in their body, which they use as a sound receiver. They feed Guppies, Ghost Shrimp, Rosy Reds and etc. Breeding is rare in captivity. Only H. vittatus has been known to spawn in the aquarium. It is a smaller species, reaching three feet in length. 

Blue Whale struck dead by ship

These heartbreaking images show the body of a majestic blue whale fatally injured as it slept in a busy shipping lane.It was spotted floating near the surface of the Indian Ocean off the southern tip of Sri Lanka.A gaping wound shows the horrific point of impact with the bow of the ship - leaving the gentle giant's tail fin in tatters.The gaping wound where the bow of a container vessel is believed to have collided with the whale's tail.Marine experts believe the blue whale – an endangered species with as few as 5,000 left in the wild - had been struck by a container vessel.The moving pictures were captured by diver Tony Wu, who wanted to highlight the blue whale’s desperate plight in a bid to reduce devastating ship strikes.

5 Most Devastating Underwater Volcanoes

5 Most Devastating Underwater Volcanoes

Underwater volcanoes also known as Submarine volcanoes are found under ocean and can generally eject into air after eruption. Underwater volcanoes are formed when molten rocks erupts underwater fissures of planet earth. They are usually found near the areas of tectonic plate movement. Many underwater volcanoes have caused chaos by eruption or earthquake by destroying various places nearby leaving many homeless.

1. Coast of Tonga

Hunga Tonga is located about 30km from Falcon Island. Volcano lies about 65 miles above a very seismic zone. Many underwater volcano have been erupted here first ever volcano erupted here was in 1912 This volcano was erupted on march 18, 2009 caused due to the melting of two tectonic plates using excessive amount of heat and pressure resulting in the big eruption. Volcano extends from New Zealand to north-east to Fiji.

8.7 quake hits Indonesia

8.7 quake hits Indonesia

An earthquake of 8.7 magnitude struck off the coast of Indonesia sending residents there and in India dashing out of their homes and offices in fear. A tsunami warning was issued for the whole Indian Ocean.

Titanic at 100 years

 

Titanic at 100 years

 

The sinking of the RMS Titanic caused the deaths of 1,517 of its 2,229 passengers and crew (official numbers vary slightly) in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. The 712 survivors were taken aboard the RMS Carpathia. Few disasters have had such resonance and far-reaching effects on the fabric of society as the sinking of the Titanic. It affected attitudes toward social injustice, altered the way the North Atlantic passenger trade was conducted, changed the regulations for numbers of lifeboats carried aboard passenger vessels and created an International Ice Patrol (where commercial ships crossing the North Atlantic still, today, radio in their positions and ice sightings). The 1985 discovery of the Titanic wreck on the ocean floor marked a turning point for public awareness of the ocean and for the development of new areas of science and technology. April 15, 2012 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. It has become one of the most famous ships in history, her memory kept alive by numerous books, films, exhibits and memorials.

A Luxury Private Island In The Seychelles

A Luxury Private Island In The Seychelles

North Island in the Seychalles offers a tranquil retreat with a conscience to do the best, not only by its customers and staff, but by the island environment and it`s native species of flora and fauna. The luxury kitchens provide a range of locally sourced foods, in keeping with the ethos of the Island, and the head chef creates food based on the individuals own tastes. The rooms are designed to perfection and the luxury furniture and interior design creates a tranquil environment in which to sleep and relax. Part of the luxury retreats on offer by Wilderness Safaris, North Island was created as a conservation project, with the 11 unique luxury lodges using material reaped from the island during the rehabilitation process, creating a location which is ultimately private, secure and offers a unique holiday destination and experience for all of its guests. Photography by Dana Allen and Russell Friedman.

Japan Tsunami Pictures: Refore And After

Japan Tsunami Pictures: Refore And After

The incredible tsunami wave rolled sea engulfed Florida beach

The incredible tsunami wave rolled sea engulfed Florida beach

Breathtaking images of 'wave clouds' were captured by a helicopter pilot as they rolled off the sea and inland, completely engulfing a beachfront city. 

The surreal event was captured by helicopter pilot Mike Schaeffer who was just finishing a tour of the coastline in Panama City Beach, Florida when he spotted the weather phenomenon - called a Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The cloud swept across the sands creating a tsunami effect and over the top of the roofs of the beachfront blocks of condos earlier this month. 

Iceland's Giant's Causeway

Iceland's Giant's Causeway

Iceland is fast becoming the photography capital of the world - and with stunning results like these, it's easy to see why. These breathtaking images of the country's largest ice cap reveal the ancient forces of nature at work above and below the mammoth glacier.

Covering eight per cent of the country, the sharp, icy blue scenery was created as subterranean volcanoes erupted under the ice, melting the giant mass of frozen water.The results were spectacular enough to be used in two James Bond movies, Tomb Raider and Batman Begins. With tourism forming over 30 per cent of the island's income, visitors to the ice flows are treated to wonders such as the Jvkulsarlsn lagoon, dramatic ice walls and ominous icebergs.

Huge 35ft-long sperm whale found dead on Lincolnshire beach

Huge 35ft-long sperm whale found dead on Lincolnshire beach

Crowds of interested people gathered to see the 35ft (10.7m) whale, which was first spotted near the bottom of Skegness Pier. But they were repelled by the repugnant smell of the animal, which has large gashes across its back and may have been dead for several days. 

Experts believe the whale collided with a boat and could have been dead for several days before finally washing ashore. Naturalist Tony Burgess, said: "If they get into shallow waters the weight of their bodies on their lungs makes it difficult for them to breathe. Male sperm whales are abundant in nearly all of the earth's oceans and undertake vast migratory journeys. 

Most Amazing Lighthouses

 Most Amazing Lighthouses

 

Amazing lighthouses from around the world. Great designs, beautiful locations.