Author Description

Spiny porcupine fish, toxic sea slugs, colorful coral reefs -- Journey under the Sea is a thrilling voyage into the fascinating, hidden world of the ocean. Glorious color photographs of weird and wonderful underwater creatures and their habitats enliven every page. Accessible and lively text explains the astonishing sights we encounter along the way, such as the interesting survival strategies of the ocean's inhabitants and how to care for this delicate environment.First, before diving below the waves, we must learn the basics of underwater safety. Journeying under the sea requires special equipment, including an air cylinder, a buoyancy compensator, and a depth gauge, and proper training. The exhilaration of swimming among the fish makes these preparations well worth it!Our dive takes place off the coast of Indonesia, home to some of the world's finest coral reefs. An experienced dive guide takes us to an undersea meadow, a coral garden, the muddy ocean floor, and to deep waters, revealing shy seahorses, venomous lionfish, and many other amazing creatures. Sometimes we have to look closely-some of the fish use their markings to cleverly camouflage themselves among the rocks and coral. We see a sluggish sea cucumber that plays host to tiny shrimp, which scavenge scraps of food and eat harmful parasites off its back. On a night dive, armed with flashlights, we witness the elaborate courtship of the manderinfish, which only happens at dusk. Even the drab ocean floor reveals unexpected sights such as a large stingray buried in the mud or a spiny devilfish scuttling along the seabed. And look at those teeth! A close encounter with a shark is a scary but enthralling moment in our journey. Along with visits to a breeding ground for graceful manta rays and a reef populated with sea turtles, we learn about the threats to this remarkable world we have been exploring, such as dynamiting, boats, storms, careless divers, pollution, and global warming.From breathing underwater to close encounters with hammerhead sharks to learning how to protect this environment, Journey under the Sea is an awe-inspiring introduction to the amazing diversity of life that exists beneath the ocean.