UNDERWATER WONDERS

Some of Britain’s most jaw-dropping wildlife lies beneath the sea’s surface. As we flock to the coast this summer, the Marine Conservation Society shares inspiring images of these hidden treasures

Britain is blessed with some of the most wildlife-rich coastal waters in the world. Between Dorset’s eelgrass meadows and Scotland’s kelp forests, we have coral reefs with colourful communities of invertebrates and a wealth of fish, dolphins, turtles and some of the largest sharks on the planet.

But for those of us who are not seals – or even divers – this marvellous world lies tantalisingly beneath steely grey waves. If we are unaware of what is out there, it’s harder to feel moved to act to protect the creatures and habitats from pollution or destructive fishing practices. So this summer the Marine Conservation Society is championing the work of intrepid diver-photographers whose works take us directly into the magical world of surfing seals, shoals of silvery pouting and even the sex lives of starfish – all described in the photographers’ own words.

The charity campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries and protection of marine life. This year, it’s asking divers to report sightings of wildlife – from jellyfish to basking sharks – to help save Britain’s sealife. mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/volunteering/ seasearch-diving

1. SEAL SURGE

Loch Eriboll, Scotland, by Kirsty Andrews “The grey seals here are not as accustomed to divers as in some other UK sites but it was fun to watch them enjoying themselves. They were more comfortable in the surging waves than I was, as I clung to kelp to capture this photo.”

2. BLUE SHARK

Penzance, Cornwall, by Alex Mustard

“I’d only seen blue sharks in British waters once before, so was delighted to get the chance on a sunny late-September day in 2020. After a few hours, the sharks started arriving. As their numbers built up, they became more confident and rewarded me with plenty of close passes. This image of a female slicing through the autumn sun is special because of the blobs of atmospheric lens flare.”

3. COMMON SUNSTAR

Loch Carron, Wester Ross, Scotland, by Dan Bolt “I spotted this large common sunstar at the end of a dive in the loch. It was hard to miss on the vertical face of the slipway I used to enter and exit the water. More often found on the seabed or on reefs, this one spent a few hours snuffling around on the pier, until at the end of my third dive of the day it had totally disappeared – quite a trick for such a large, brightly coloured animal.”

4. BOBTAIL SQUID

Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, by Mark Kirkland

“I was diving at a site called A-Frames, which gets its name from the sunken concrete blocks of an old pier. They’re a great anchor for marine life. Within minutes of entering the water, I found my first squid, then my second and my third – they were all around. They’re comfortable around divers but will burrow in the sand when they’ve had enough and that’s exactly what this one was starting to do.”

5. THE SHRIMP AND THE ANEMONE

Swanage Pier, Dorset, by Matt Doggett

“The snakelocks shrimp is a warm-water species ranging from the Mediterranean to the Azores and, prior to 2007, was found only as far north as the Channel Islands. Since then the shrimp has become well established along the Dorset coast.

“The shrimp lives protected among the stinging tentacles of the snakelocks anemone, which also frequents warmer waters. Breeding females can often be much larger with more vivid pink and white colours along their bodies. Non-divers might be able to find these shrimps among some of our deeper rockpools, so keep your eyes peeled this summer.”

6. GRINNING BLENNY

Torquay, Devon, by Kirsty Andrews “This tompot blenny is presenting a smiley face to the camera but he’s actually carefully guarding a stash of eggs in the crack behind him. Male tompots can be quite feisty in defending their territory, which they keep clean and tidy, ready for several females to lay eggs in, if they’re lucky. They will fertilise the eggs and guard them for around a month in the early summer.”

7. AN OUTING WITH POUTING

Jurassic Coast, Dorset, by Matt Doggett

The pouting is a cod-like fish common off southern shores. Also known as the bib, it has a long chin barbule. “I was drifting through crystal-clear waters over an area of huge boulders covered with red seaweeds and sponges. Suddenly, I was joined by this shoal that swam alongside. They would often bunch together nicely, allowing me to snap away as we floated in the gentle current.”

8. BROWN CRAB IN THE SPONGES

Falls of Lora, Argyll and Bute, by James Lynott “Situated at the narrow entrance to Loch Etive near Oban, the Falls of Lora has a reputation as a scary dive as the tide races through, creating whirlpools and waves. But there is such amazing underwater topography and proliferation of life. While swimming along one of the gullies, I spotted this crab nestled into the yellow breadcrumb sponge and hydroids surrounding it.”

9. SPINY STARFISH ON THE MOVE

Wembury, Devon, by Paul Naylor

The spiny starfish is one of around 32 species of starfish found in British waters and some individuals can live for 30 years. “This starfish, slowly making its way up to the top of the kelp canopy, was seeking a good vantage point from where it could release its spawn. A chemical sent out by females with their eggs prompts neighbouring starfish to join the party.”

10. ANEMONE EXPLOSION

Inveraray, Argyll and Bute, by James Lynott “Underwater fluorescence photography has become a passion for me. I never know quite what I’m going to find that will fluoresce under the blue (near UV) light. After a day’s diving, my buddy and I stopped for an evening dive in Loch Fyne at a fantastic site for fireworks anemones. This large individual was a favourite as I was able to capture the whole anemone with its long tentacles stretched out within the frame.”

11. HARE OF THE ROCKPOOL

Swanage Pier, Dorset, by Kirsty Andrews

The sea hare is a small marine snail with an internal shell. “Sea hares appear brown and sluggish at first glance but if you look closely they have delicate patterns and colours. I used a snooted spotlight effect to show this off and to highlight the head tentacles, which resemble a hare’s ears, giving this animal its common name.”

12. THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD OF NUDIBRANCHS

Swanage Pier, Dorset, by Dan Bolt

“The colours of this nudibranch Flabellina pedata make it not only one of our most flamboyant, but also easiest to spot. In a dark area under the pier, this individual was making its way along a stalk of kelp. A flash of pink and purple in my torchlight caught my eye, so I had the pleasure of observing it for several minutes before I moved on.”