DeeplyTRULY, MADLY

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER ALI BIN THALITH REVEALS THE HIDDEN SECRETS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN IN A UNIQUE EXCERPT FROM HIS NEW BOOK

M a n d a r i n D r a g o n e t , S y n c h i r o p u s s p l e n d i d u s . A M a n d a r i n D r a g o n e t c o u p l e m a t i n g . T h e c o m p l e x r i t u a l s t a r t s w i t h t h e m a l e s h o w i n g o f f i t s b o d y a n d d o r s a l f i n p a t t e r n s . O n c e a f e m a l e a c c e p t s , t h e c o u p l e r i s e a b o v e t h e r e e f t o r e l e a s e s p e r m a n d e g g s . T h e y m a t e a l m o s t e v e r y d a y j u s t b e f o r e s u n s e t .

Ali Bin Thalith is a Dubai-born underwater photographer, renowned not only for the emotive quality of his images, but for his passionate defence of the sub-aqua world and the marine life it sequesters. Diving deep into the ocean to capture curious creatures in their natural habitats, he pushes himself to the limits – both physically and aesthetically – to achieve the perfect shot. Over 20 years in the making, bin Thalith’s book, Truly Madly Deeply, features more than 100 colour images, from the microscopic crinoid shrimp and pygmy squid to swimming elephants and Arabian sand gazelles. On this deep journey into the world’s most exotic oceans, he takes us from The Maldives to Malaysia, from Indonesia and The Philippines to the Bahamas and beyond. For this issue, COMO Stories was given access to some of bin Thalith’s most spectacular images from the Indian Ocean.

Truly, Madly, Deeply, published by Clearview Books, costs £60. Signed limited linen bound and cased edition, with a limited edition print, is priced £150. The book is available to purchase on amazon.com.

O p p o s i t e :Wo n d e r p u s O c t o p u s , W u n d e r p u s p h o t o g e n i c u s . A Wo n d e r p u s O c t o p u s i n m i d w a t e r. T h e Wo n d e r p u s O c t o p u s e m e r g e s f r o m i t s d e n i n t h e s a n d o n l y d u r i n g d a w n a n d d u s k . I t h u n t s b y c r a w l i n g a l o n g t h e s a n d f l a t , c h e c k i n g f o r p r e y i n a n d a r o u n d b u r r o w s . O n l y r a r e l y i t i s o b s e r v e d s w i m m i n g a b o v e t h e s e a f l o o r.

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b e e n t a m e d a n d t r a i n e d t o w o r k f o r t h o u s a n d s o f y e a r s . T h i s p a r t i c u l a r

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r e t i r e m e n t p l a n .

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c o r a l . T h e F i l e f i s h a r e e a s i l y r e c o g n i s e d b y t h e i r r h o m b o i d

s h a p e a n d l a t e r a l l y c o m p r e s s e d b o d i e s . T h e i r c o m m o n n a m e

d e r i v e s f r o m n o t i o n s t h a t t h e i r s k i n w a s o n c e u s e d a s s a n d p a p e r t o

w o r k o n w o o d e n b o a t s .

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h o v e r i n g i n m i d w a t e r. S q u i d s u s u a l l y h u n t a t n i g h t , t h e y a r e v o r a c i o u s

e a t e r s a n d c a n c o n s u m e m u l t i p l e t i m e s t h e i r b o d y w e i g h t i n l e s s t h a n a w e e k . T h e y c o m m u n i c a t e b y c h a n g i n g t h e i r

c o l o u r p i g m e n t s i n t h e i r s k i n , s i g n a l i n g r e a d i n e s s t o m a t e , s e x u a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n ,

o r t o a l e r t o t h e r s q u i d s t o d a n g e r. W h e n a t t a c k e d , a s a l a s t r e s o r t , s q u i d s

w i l l t r y t o c o n f u s e t h e p r e d a t o r b y e j e c t i n g a c l o u d o f b l a c k i n k .

D e n i s e ’s P y g m y S e a h o r s e , H i p p o c a m p u s d e n i s eA D e n i s e ’s P y g m y S e a h o r s e h i d i n g a m o n g t h e p o l y p s o f i t s G o r g o n i a n c o r a l h o s t . T h e D e n i s e ’s P y g m y S e a h o r s e , l i k e a l m o s t a l l o t h e r P y g m y S e a h o r s e s p e c i e s , w a s o n l y d i s c o v e r e d , s t u d i e d a n d n a m e d b y s c i e n t i s t s i n t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y.

S o f t C o r a l P o r c e l a i n C r a b , L i s s o p o r c e l l a n a s p . A P o r c e l a i n C r a b n u r s i n g t h e p o l y p s o f i t s s o f t c o r a l h o s t . P o r c e l a i n C r a b s g o t t h e i r n a m e f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y a r e v e r y f r a g i l e a n d o f t e n s h e d t h e i r l i m b s t o e s c a p e f r o m p r e d a t o r s ( f r a g i l e a s p o r c e l a i n ) . T h e l o s t l i m b w i l l u s u a l l y g r o w b a c k o v e r t i m e .

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h o s t s t a r f i s h . P h o t o g r a p h e r s o f t e n n e e d t o g e n t l y t u r n t h e s t a r f i s h u p s i d e d o w n

i n o r d e r t o c a p t u r e t h e i m a g e .

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SURFACE MATTERSWHERE TO DIVE THE INDIAN OCEAN WITH COMOPoint Yamu by COMO, PhuketThe waters off Point Yamu in Phuket offer close-up experiences with the Andaman Sea’s most alluring marine life, including approachable leopard sharks, turtles and spectacular corals. Many of the region’s best dive sites, including a number of wrecks and the famous Phi Phi Islands, are a short boat ride from the resort.

Maalifushi by COMO, MaldivesMaalifushi by COMO offers the thrill of discovering unexplored channels and reefs, with only 20 or so dive sites chronicled in the Thaa Atoll. The sheer abundance of marine life and the clear visibility make this one of the greatest underwater regions on the planet. Hammerheads and manta rays are a particular draw here, especially in the dry season (January to April, when there is excellent visibility).

Cocoa Island by COMO, MaldivesCocoa Island is brilliantly placed for diving some of the Maldives’ Kandooma caves – the largest underwater cave sequence in the region – where stingrays, turtles and sponges make for a kaleidoscopic experience. Other nearby sites offer big-fish sightings, such as giant trevally and large schools of eagle rays.

At all COMO’s Indian Ocean dive locations, expert dive instructors guage ability levels carefully. All divers are required to hold an International scuba diving license, and to provide a logbook. Learning to dive is also possible, with expert tuition, at all COMO’s Indian Ocean locations. COMO also supports Project Aware (www.projectaware.com), a movement of scuba divers committed to underwater conservation and its worldwide campaign to combat marine debris.