Diving Tayrona National Park, Colombia

Posted byMichael CookPosted in2. International, Colombia, South AmericaTags:, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Lionfish in a sea sponge, Tayrona National Park, Colombia.

As I have shared in previous posts, my wife and I enjoy diving to see a different side of wildlife. Well we are finally in South America having worked our way down from Mexico City and before exploring wildlife on land we have been diving with Ocean Lovers in the Tayrona National Park to see some of the marine life. I have also taken the opportunity to take the PADI Underwater Photography Speciality with a great instructor called Nataly

Contents hide
1 Fun Diving
2 Underwater Photography Speciality Course
3 Share this:
4 Related
5 Discover more from WildScot®
Fun Diving

Initially I was photographing with my GoPro. This isn’t great for photos as it is so wide angle. But it was good to capture an array of the life from Bristle Worms to Grunts, Cowfish and a sustained encounter with a Conger Eel.

  • Curlew bird with long, curved beak in grassy field. Sheriffmuir drive landscape.
    Bristle Worm
  • Curlew bird with long, curved beak in grassy field. Sheriffmuir drive landscape.
    Grunts
  • Curlew bird with long, curved beak in grassy field. Sheriffmuir drive landscape.
  • Curlew bird with long, curved beak in grassy field. Sheriffmuir drive landscape.
    Conger Eel in sand
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
    Conger Eel Swimming
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
  • Curlew bird with long, curved beak in grassy field. Sheriffmuir drive landscape.
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
    Cow Fish
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
    Crab

We saw more Moray Eels, Puffer Fish and Trumpet Fish here than anywhere we have dived so far on this trip.

  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
    Moray Eel
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
    Trumpet Fish
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
  • Stonechat bird perched on a lichen-covered post on Sheriffmuir.
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Puffer Fish
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Coral
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Star Fish

On another dive (we did 8 total) we found several Scorpion and Lion Fish both poisonous.

  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Scorpion Fish
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Corals
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Sleeping fish
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Lion Fish – no way I would do this
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Lion Fish
  • Wheatear bird perched on a twig against a blue sky on Sheriffmuir.
    Coral
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    Trumpet Fish
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    Corals
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    Me and the Mrs
Underwater Photography Speciality Course

In addition to shooting with the GoPro I signed up to do this photography course. Having done a speciality course before with a PADI school that was very low key I wasn’t sure how good this would be. But I was pleasantly surprised as the instructor Nataly was very skilled and engaging and I also got to play with a new camera. It was a steep learning curve for both the diving skills and the photography but I was pleased with some of my photos all of which were taken on two dives.

I really enjoyed some of the macro work small Bristleworms and Fireworms for example. An opportunity to work on my diving control and focus skills underwater.

  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    My favourite shot
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    Fire Worm
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    Brain Coral and Bristlestar
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    Brain Coral
  • Stonechat perched on a mossy post, Sheriffmuir landscape in background.
    Sea Cucumber
  • Reef cleaner shrimp on colorful sponge in Tayrona National Park, Colombia.
    Shrimp

I spent a lovely 10 minutes or so photographing a Sea Horse (apparently so absorbed I missed a Turtle swimming past). Various fish including a Cowfish provided good photo subjects too.

  • Seahorse camouflaged among coral while diving in Tayrona National Park, Colombia.
    Sea Horse
  • Seahorse clinging to coral in Tayrona National Park, Colombia. Diving adventure.
  • Seahorse clinging to coral in Tayrona National Park, Colombia.
  • Honeycomb cowfish swimming inside a barrel sponge in Tayrona National Park, Colombia.
    Cowfish
  • Honeycomb cowfish swimming near coral in Tayrona National Park, Colombia. Diving photo.
  • Crab hiding in coral reef, Tayrona National Park.
    Crab
  • Blue spotted trunkfish swimming near coral in Tayrona National Park, Colombia. Diving adventure.

We found several Lionfish sheltering in Coral. There was a strong current here but this provided the opportunity to swim into the current and therefore stay fairly still and fire off several photos.

  • Lionfish swimming near coral in Tayrona National Park, Colombia
    Lionfish
  • Lionfish in a barrel sponge while diving Tayrona National Park, Colombia.
  • Northern Wheatear perched on a pine tree branch. Sheriffmuir birdlife.
  • Northern Wheatear perched on a pine tree branch. Sheriffmuir birdlife.
  • Northern Wheatear perched on a pine tree branch. Sheriffmuir birdlife.

Overall I really enjoyed these dives and the focused attention from a skilled diver and underwater photographer. I learnt a lot and am seriously thinking about spending some money on an underwater camera to keep this learning going.

Next up we are going to the Santa Marta Mountains and birdwatching here in an area with 19 endemics. Watch this space.

Black bird in flight, "Wild Scot" text. Scottish Wildlife Photos.

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Published by Michael Cook

Wildlife Photographer based in Scotland

3 thoughts on “Diving Tayrona National Park, Colombia”

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