419 Dive Log Australasia AUGUST 2026

As the weather begins to warm towards the end of the year, the reef takes on a different character. Low density cloud formations create softer, more diffused light beneath the surface. Fish behaviour becomes more dynamic with the warming waters and photographers may be more focused on animal interactions than the sweeping reef landscapes. Through November the humidity builds and the still tropical air that precedes the wet season yields some of the clearest conditions of the year. The tropical wet season introduces a whole other layer of variety. Increased rainfall and strong river flow can reduce visibility, sometimes to the extent that algal blooms form in fresh water at the surface almost entirely blocking penetrating light to the reef. These conditions, albeit rare, should not automatically discourage photographers but provide an opportunity to see things through a different lens. Reduced visibility naturally draws attention to closer subjects, allowing photographers to concentrate on turtle portraits, intricate coral formations and the diversity of smaller reef life. This proximity generates richer colours, improved detail and less backscatter. Low and heavy Nimbostratus clouds can also dramatically, almost at an instance, change the brightness and saturation as they drift overhead. Bright sunlight can create harsh contrast in the shallows, so diffuse light under cloud cover can be used an opportunity to seek out the Epaulette

A Giant Clam snuggles in amongst the cabbage coral gardens.

sharks and Banded Sea Kraits in the shallows. The dramatic skies and lush rainforest can also produce compelling opportunities for split shots and landscape imagery on the islands. The changing seasons provide unique

A large salt water crocodile bathes in the afternoon sunlight along the Russell River.

19

DIVE LOG Australasia #419 August ‘26

www.divelog.net.au