Videography

In this relaxing minute of flight, we invite you to glide with us over a moor during sunset, in the beautiful Dutch province of Drenthe. This province is located in the North-East of the Netherlands, and borders on the province of Groningen in the North, Germany in the East, Overijssel in the south and Friesland in the West. Although Drenthe is currently one of the most sparsely populated regions in the Netherlands, this wasn't always the case. Recovered artefacts from the Wolstonian Stage, which date back nearly 150,000 years, suggests that Drenthe has been populated since prehistoric times. Archaeologists believe that the region was once one of the most densely populated areas in the Netherlands up until the Bronze Age.
The many megalithic funerary monuments, locally known as „Hunnebedden“ (Hun‘s Graves) attest to the prehistoric settlement of the region. Of the 54 dolmens found in the Netherlands, 53 of them can be found in Drenthe.

Agriculture is the main economic activity in the region, although industrial areas can be found near the cities. Apart from scenic farmlands dotted with cute, fairy-tail like villages, Drenthe hosts many forests, streams, heathlands, lakes and swamps. The province is drained by a network of many shallow streams and short canals. For a long time, due to its inhospitable nature, Drenthe was the poorest region of the Netherlands. To such an extent, that the people living there, were exempt from paying Federal Tax. One knows things are bad when the State has given up trying to collect money from the people. As a consequence of this „Tax Relief“, the people were denied representation in the States-General/Congress. Although it took part in the Dutch revolt against Spain, Drenthe‘s Provincial Status was withheld until the 1st of January 1796.
In the 19th century, the Dutch government decided to use Drenthe as a place to rid themselves of ‘unwanted elements’ in their society. Criminals, beggars, paupers and vagabonds, but also orphans that could not be placed, were transported to Drenthe to live in colonies. There they were put to work cutting peat from the bogs, which was a fuel source that dates back to medieval times, drain and fill the swamps, as well as reclaiming the heathlands for agricultural use.


Luckily, not all of the wildlands was reclaimed for agricultural use during this period, and these days Drenthe is a refuge for nature and wildlife, as well as the many tourists that visit every year. This Dutch province, with its prehistoric megalithic monuments, picturesque villages, beautiful forests and heathlands, tranquil lakes, streams, and even moores, should in our opinion be on top of the list of anyone visiting the Netherlands!




#Drenthe #aerial #moores #Schipborg #winter #lake #nature #TakeaMinute #relax #DrentscheAa #holiday #Netherlands #wideangle #DJI #Mavic2Pro​

Take a Minute XXVII: Bigeye Trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus)

In this episode of underwater relaxation, we would like to become a part of this immense living silver cloud, and simply go with the flow… A school of fish this size can literally block out the sun. These Bigeye trevallies (Caranx sexfasciatus) have come together in impressive numbers, to cruise over this beautiful sunlit reef. Bigeye trevallies are currently classified within the genus Caranx, one of the groups known as Jacks or Trevallies. This genus itself is part of the larger mackerel family Carangidae. It’s specific epithet (the second part of the scientific name), roughly translates to “six banded”, and refers to the creature’s juvenile colouration.

This species of trevally is rather easily identified due to its big eyes, and are one of the most widespread species of them all. They can be found in massive schools in the tropical waters from the western shores of Central America, all the way to the east of Africa. Actually, the only place they can’t be found is in the Atlantic Ocean. Bigeye trevallies normally live close to shore, down to a depth of around 150 meters. However, they do venture out to make offshore seamounts their home as well. They can even make their way upriver into freshwater. As they reach their adult size of about 80 cm, they can easily weigh 10kg.

Caranx sexfasciatus is a voracious predator that relies predominantly on its speed to overpower and surprise its prey. Their diet consists of other fish and crustaceans, which are mainly caught at night. During the day they like to come together to relax. After all, many big eyes see more than one, and in the ocean one always needs to keep an eye out for a bigger fish. This gives them the chance to visit cleaning stations and enjoy their Spa treatment to the fullest extend. An interesting side note about this creature is that although they usually appear silvery and shiny, like many other fish they are capable of changing their colour, all the way to a dark black. It is thought that this capability to change colour is helping them to communicate more efficiently amongst themselves, as well as with other species. Although Caranx sexfasciatus is quite a common sight around the tropical waters of this planet, it is clearly not a boring creature. And when they come together in large numbers, they’re a sight to behold. Not only taking the light but also one's breath away.



#diving #Balicasag #trevally​#schooling​#underwater​#meditation​ #TakeaMinute​ #Bigeyes​ #travel​ #Philippines​#savetheocean​ #reefprotection​ #wideangle​ #SonyV1p​ #Amphibico

In this Minute of Relaxation, we would like to introduce you to one of the most interesting species of Nudibranch, named Melibe engeli. Nudibranchs are molluscs in the class Gastropoda, which includes snails, slugs, and sea hares. Many gastropods have a shell. Nudibranchs have a shell in their larval stage, but it disappears in the process of becoming an adult. They come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention wild colour pattern variations, which makes them so popular with divers and snorkellers. The word nudibranch comes from the Latin word nudus (naked) and Greek branchiae (gills), which refers to the gill-like appendages which protrude from the backs of many nudibranchs. Although they possess eyes, their eyesight is thought to be limited to picking up only light and dark shapes. They view the world through chemical receptors in the shape of tentacles on their heads. These tentacles are called rhinophores and they allow nudibranchs to smell food, find potential mates, predators and provides them with some sort of situational awareness.

Nudibranchs can thrive nearly everywhere, from shallow, temperate, and tropic reefs to Antarctica and even hydrothermal vents. At present, there are well over 3000 species of nudibranchs known to science, but new species are still being discovered. However strange it may seem, this colourful family of sea slugs are carnivores, whose prey consists of sponges, coral, anemones, hydroids, barnacles, fish eggs, sea slugs, and other nudibranchs. To eat their food, most nudibranchs possess a radula, which is a toothed structure that they use to “chew” their food up. Some species suck out their prey after predigesting their tissue with selected enzymes, rather like a spider. Nudibranchs are very picky about what they eat, individual species or families of nudibranchs may eat only one kind of prey. Nudibranchs get their vivid colours from the food they eat, which in turn advertises to would-be predators, that they are poisonous, or at the very least foul-tasting. In any case, enough to be left alone by most.

With so many vibrantly coloured and interesting family members, what makes the Melibe engeli stand out? It’s not its size, this creature grows up to around 5cm. And this Melibe doesn’t have any bright colour patterns. But where its carnivorous cousins are going mostly after static prey, this particular species of Melibe is an active hunter, feeding on shrimps, crabs and other small crustacea which they catch by throwing the inflated oral hood over the substrate like a fisherman casting his net. This active “fishing” practice is a joy to observe. However, they lack a radula, which means that their swallowed prey remains alive in the gut until killed by digestive juices.
But what makes this creature even more special, is that it doesn’t rely only on catching its prey for sustenance, it also hosts algae farms in its tissues, that through photosynthesis produce nutrients for the Melibe in situations when food is scarce. The mutualistic symbiosis between different species of nudibranchs and unicellular photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium (often known as ‘zooxanthellae’) has been known to science for quite some time. Most “solar-powered” nudibranch species take up Symbiodinium from their prey of soft or hard corals and cultivate them inside the cells of their digestive glands. But since Melibe engeli feeds exclusively on small crustaceans, science is still baffled as to how this nudibranch picks up the symbiont zooxanthellae for its emergency solar farms.
What a beautiful world we live in, and how fortunate we are to be able to observe all these different adaptations to life on it!



#underwater​ #species #marine #relax​ #behaviour​ #TakeaMinute​ #diving​ #science #Indonesia​ #lembeh​ #nudibranch​ #macro​ #PanasonicLumix​ #GH5s​ #Nauticam

In this episode of our new series “Take a Minute to Fly”, we’d like to introduce you to a wintry landscape in the Netherlands. Cold winters can be beautiful and full of magic. One of these winter wonders is the transformation of the Dutch people. Several days of temperatures below freezing, and they seem to become restless. For some reason, they start inspecting their local canals and lakes, for any signs of ice. In places like these, they gather, to talk about the quality and thickness of the ice, as well as current weather predictions, and how much more frost is needed to have an ice sheet thick enough for them to do what they do best …
You see, besides maybe football, nothing seems to get the Dutch more fired up than ice skating! All it takes is a couple of days with some proper sub-zero temperatures, and the Dutch start sharpening their blades. After that, they have to wait and hope that the cold persists long enough for them to do what they’ve been waiting for. When that moment finally arrives, they venture out on the ice by the thousands. The more that the cold weather persists, the more excited they seem to become. After all, there might be the chance of another legendary Elfstedentocht! (an ice-skating tour of 200km along 11 Friesian cities) About a third of the Netherlands is below sea level, so water is literally everywhere. All this water makes it possible to get nearly any place in the Netherlands by way of boat. And when all these bodies of water freeze over, they become a massive playground for the entire population. It is beautiful to see the joy that freezing temperatures can bring to an entire nation! And after a year like 2020, these ice-scapades were a welcome relief from the bitter cold that is reality…


#Meerwijck​ #aerial​ #iceskating #Groningen​ #winter​ #lake​ #Dutch​ #TakeaMinute​ #fly​ #Zuidlaardermeer​ ​ #schaatsen​ #Netherlands​ #wideangle​ #DJI​ #Mavic2Pro​

In this session of tranquillity, we would like you to focus on the living art that is the coral reef. This particular reef, named Fan 38, is located at Wakatobi Dive Resort and is one of our favourite reefs on this beautiful Blue Planet. Reef-building corals consist of colonies of tiny animals, all sharing the same genes. In other words, any particular hard coral is one creature, as well as many creatures at the same time … When the conditions are just right, these animals can grow prolifically, albeit at a very slow pace, creating the cathedral-like structures we love so much.
These days, pretty much all of the coral reefs worldwide are under threat. Luckily, some localized conservation efforts are paying off, and allow the reefs there to recover. Coral reefs are pretty much a symbiotic organism in itself, depending on all the lifeforms that inhabit them, as well as those that visit temporarily, for survival. A technique that is used by pretty much everything in the natural world. Everything is connected …
Therefore, every action is affecting everything else. So, in nature there is no good or bad, there are only consequences. Unfortunately, our species seem to have forgotten this fact. Which is somewhat strange, since we ourselves are also symbiotic creatures of sorts, who depend not only on the world around us for sustenance, but on the amount and health, of all the bacteria, viruses, and other life forms that share our bodies with us. Take one away, or let another grow out of control, and we get sick as a result.
Same goes for coral reefs, which makes protection and conservation rather difficult, when dealing with a species like ourselves, temporarily claiming dominance over this planet, whilst being conditioned to forget about life’s equilibrium and focus on a fictitious monetary and power system instead. But try as we might, we can not change the fact that we are indivisibly linked to the world around us …


Many of the current reef conservation efforts around the world, like the one in Wakatobi, are private initiatives funded by NGO’s and/or tourism, and as such they’ve had a very difficult time over the last year. There are many people that believe that 2020 has been a good year for nature, and the planet as a whole, due to lockdowns and travel restrictions, but this is certainly not the case for the world’s oceans. Less supervision in protected areas has led to an increase in fishing activities there. As the world is hopefully opening up again somewhat this year, these conservation efforts are in need of your assistance. Our advice would be to look at the projects one can support when deciding their next holiday destination. Luckily for Fan 38, as well as the many other spectacular coral reefs in the region, Wakatobi Dive Resort has kept a skeleton crew on site, that together with the local authorities, has patrolled and protected the reefs that are part of their conservation efforts. So that when the first guests return to the resort, underwater paradise awaits them!




#underwater​ #relax​ #meditation​ #TakeaMinute​ #diving #snorkel #coralreef​ #travel​ #Indonesia​ #wakatobi​ #savetheocean​ #reefprotection​ #wideangle​ #GH5s​ #Nauticam

In this first (official) episode of our new series “Take a Minute to Fly” (it takes three episodes to start a series), we would like to introduce you to the beautifully restored Fort Bourtange under a typical Dutch winter sky. The fortress is located in the municipality of Westerwolde, in the north of the Netherlands, east of the city of Groningen and close to the German border.
The origin of the name of Bourtange stands for the word “boer” meaning farmer, and “tange” the name of a sandy ridge leading through the marshes or swamps, as the “Bourtanger Moor” was the largest wetland of north-western Europe at the time.

Bourtange played an important role in the history of 80 years war between Spain and the Netherlands (1568-1648). The fortress of Bourtange was initially planned to be constructed during the time of William I of Orange, but after his assassination, it was finished by his cousin William Louis. It was built on the only route through the marshes that connected the city of Groningen with Lingen and Westphalia, in what is now Germany. With the creation of Bourtange, the Dutch blocked the supply route of the Spaniards and isolated the city of Groningen, which at the time was under their control.

Due to its strategic location and the surrounding swamp, no major battles were ever held around Bourtange. After the Netherlands and Spain signed the end of 80 years war in the Treaty of Münster, Bourtange lost its importance and popularity. However, when some decades later the Prince-Bishop of Münster, an ally of France in the Franco-Dutch War, laid claim to and invaded north-eastern parts of the newly formed “Republic of 7 United Netherlands”, Bourtange was reinforced again as a fortress. After a failed attempt to conquer the municipality of Westerwolde in 1665, which saw a relatively small garrison at Bourtange push the invading armies back into the swamps, the Prince-Bishop changed his tactics and started invading the provinces south of Groningen. When the Prussian armies returned to Bourtange on the 11th of July 1672, they demanded the surrender of the fortress. The captain in charge of the Bourtange Fortress, Bernard Johan Prott, refused. Even after the Prussian General Heinrich Martel offered Prott and his fellow officers, 200.000 guilders (worth over 2,5 million Euros today), as well as titles in Westphalia, if they would abandon the fort. To which Prott famously replied, that they would have 200,000 bullets for any army that wanted to take the fort. After some unsuccessful attempts to take the fortress, the Prince-Bishop was forced to retreat, and find another way into Groningen.

As the power of guns increased and the swap was drained, the significance of the fortress of Bourtange decreased. Over the years the fortress had been extended, but finally, in 1851, the fortress was dissolved. After that farmers, workers and traders came to the fortress. But this was only for a short while and people eventually left the bastion. Around a century later people began to make plans to reconstruct the fortified village. So that’s what happened. Between 1972 and 1992 Bourtange was reconstructed into the fortified village of the year 1742. That was when the fortress of Bourtange was at its biggest and had its most power. People not only reconstructed the unique historical defence work but also recreated a swamp. This beautiful historic location is now open to the public.


#bourtange #aerial #gwesterwolde #winter #sky #dutch #TakeaMinute #fly #fortress #moor #fort #netherlands #wideangle #DJI #Mavic2Pro

In this Minute of tranquillity, we’d like to introduce you to one of the ocean’s most recognisable icons, the reef manta ray. The species was described in 1868 by Gerard Krefft, the director of the Australian Museum. He named it M. alfredi in honour of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the first member of the British royal family to visit Australia. It was originally described as part of the genus Manta but in 2017 was changed, along with the other manta species, to be included as part of the genus Mobula. The artist formerly known as Manta alfredi, is as famous, as it is graceful. This gentle giant is the smaller of the two manta species currently known to science.

Despite their distinctive flattened body, this fish is closely related to sharks. At the front, it has a pair of cephalic fins which are forward extensions of the pectoral fins. These can be rolled up in a spiral for swimming or can be flared out to channel water into the large, forward-pointing, rectangular mouth when the animal is feeding. The eyes and the spiracles are on the side of the head behind the cephalic fins, and the five gill slits are on the ventral (under) surface. It has a small dorsal fin and the tail is long and whip-like. The manta ray does not have a spiny tail as do their close relatives, the devil rays (Mobula spp.). The colour of the dorsal side is dark black to midnight blue with scattered whitish and greyish areas on the top head. The ventral surface is white, sometimes with dark spots and blotches. The markings can often be used to recognise individual fish. Mobula alfredi is similar in appearance to Mobula birostris and the two species may be confused as their distribution overlaps. However, there are distinguishing features.

The first difference is the size. M. birostris is bigger than the reef M. alfredi, 4 to 6 m on average vs. 3 to 4 m. However, when they’re young specimens telling them apart becomes somewhat difficult, in which case only the colour pattern remains an effective way to distinguish them. The reef manta has a dark dorsal side with usually two lighter areas on top of the head, looking like a nuanced gradient of its dark dominating back colouration and whitish to greyish, the longitudinal separation between these two lighter areas forms a kind of “Y”. While for the oceanic manta, the dorsal surface is deep dark and the two white areas are well marked without gradient effect. Meanwhile, the line of separation between these two white areas forms a "T". Also, the reef manta ray has a white belly with often spots between the branchial gill slits and other spots spread across trailing edge of pectoral fins and abdominal region. The oceanic manta has also a white ventral colouration with spots clustered around lower region of its abdomen. Its cephalic fins, inside of its mouth and its gill slits are often black.

Both species have the largest brain of all know fish species and are very curious and intelligent. Because of its large size and velocity in case of danger (24 km/h escape speed), the reef manta has very few natural predators which can be fatal to it, apart from some large shark species and orcas. Since there’s so much to tell about this beautiful creature, more info will follow in future Manta Minutes…




#underwater #relax #meditation #TakeaMinute #diving #travel #Komodo #Manta #Indonesia #Mauan #Mobula #wideangle #Sony #HVR-V1 #Amphibico

In this first minute of relaxation of the new year, we’d like to focus your attention on this gorgeous, but voracious little hunter. A juvenile Harlequin Shrimp. There are two types of harlequin shrimp. ”Hymenocera elegans”, is native to the Indo-Pacific region, and “hymenocera picta”, which is specific to Hawaii. The name of the genus “Hymenocera” is derived from the Greek words “hymen” (membrane) and “keras” (horn, or in this case antennae), indicating that this crustacean has lamina-shaped antennae. Whereas both “elegans”, as well as “picta” refer to the beautiful coloured spots adorning the exoskeleton of this decapod.
They are reef dwellers, preferring water temperatures of 24-29 degrees Celcius, and are especially partial to a habitat with spaces for them to retreat into, like branched corals or rock formations. Their eyes are positioned on stalks, and they have two giant flat claws that serve as snipping tools while harvesting their prey. Females are generally larger than males and can grow up to around 5cm.
Harlequin shrimp are white to light pink in colour, with splashes of bright coloured spots on their entire body, usually red, purple, orange, and blue. Despite their relatively small size, they have few natural predators. This is thanks to their markings and colouration. Like on land, in the ocean bright patterns are a red flag to predators of toxicity. In addition, their colouration serves as a wonderful camouflage when moving along a coral reef, mimicking the bright lights and shadows produced by the overhead sun.
What’s curious about the Hymenocera is that they live almost exclusively on a diet of sea stars. Some have been observed munching on sea urchins, but generally speaking, sea stars are their comfort food. The harlequin shrimp has two flat antennae that are used for detecting the scent of sea star prey. They will often hunt as mating pairs, and work together to overtake and devour their prey. One shrimp will use its claws to clip the soft tube feet attaching the sea star to its surface, while the other then pulls the creature away from the surface and onto its back.
Some harlequin shrimp will then drag the sea star to its lair, and feed on its tube feet and soft tissues. Unable to right itself, the starfish will then endure being eaten alive for a period of days to weeks, depending on the size of the starfish. Harlequin shrimp have been observed feeding the starfish to keep it alive for their consumption.
Harlequin shrimp mate for life, and are fiercely protective of their family territory. Once the pair finds a suitable home within the reef, they are known to stay within the area for months or even years. The pair mate after the female moulds, and can produce anywhere from 100 to 5,000 eggs per breeding season. This may seem like a lot of offspring, but the high demand for harlequin shrimp in the aquarium trade has made them rarer in the wild.
Since Hymenocera has a symbiotic relation with corals, this isn’t exactly good news for coral reefs! Hymenocera preys on sea stars that would otherwise eat the corals, and in return for its efforts, it gets a safe place to live. Without the help of these little creatures, the future of the reef as a whole is at risk.




#underwater #relax #shrimp #TakeaMinute #diving #reef #travel #Indonesia #Bali #harlequinshrimp #savetheocean #macro #PanasonicLumix #GH5s #Nauticam

In this episode of underwater relaxation, we would like to introduce you to this beautiful little Xmas creature that is dressed for the occasion. Primovula roseomaculata, also known as a Soft coral cowrie, Allied Cowrie, or False Cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Ovulidae.
Molluscs are a big and very diverse group of creatures consisting of animals as different as mussels and octopuses! Most colourful and strikingly patterned among the molluscs are the cowries. Their shells were used as currency in different cultures throughout history and are now prized collector items, due to their shining and often brightly coloured and patterned shell.
However, what we as ocean enthusiasts see, is not the shell itself, but rather the soft mantle of the animal, wrapped around the shell. The mantle is even more beautiful than the shell itself, often bearing a striking resemblance to the soft coral that these cowries prey on, even including tentacle-like protrusions, to completely blend in with its coral host. These branching papillae on their mantle are not only there to complete the finishing touch on their extravagant camouflage, but assist in the respiration of the cowrie as well.
Primovula roseomaculata usually live and feed on soft corals of the genus Dendronephtya. Due to the potent toxins used by these corals to deter predators, these cowries have adapted to only a single coral species. This behaviour has led to the rise of one of their common names, the “Allied Cowrie”. However, “Allied cowries” are in fact parasites, that harm their hosts. They feed on the coral’s tissues, mucus and polyps, and are able to absorb the pigments of their coral host, which enables these cowries to match their host's colour so well. Not only that, but Primovula roseomaculata has the ability to even extract the defensive chemicals of the coral host, and store them in the skin of its own mantle, where they can protect the snail from fish predation! The host coral will continually regrow the lost tissue, so the cowrie never runs out of food, and or ammo!

They start off their lives as free-swimming post-larval juveniles and probably detect chemical clues that signal a potential host is nearby. Hosts are often home to several individuals. When settled, cowries graze up and down the coral and eventually deposit their eggs on a bare branch, beginning the cycle all over again.




#underwater #relax #meditation #TakeaMinute #diving #travel #Xmas #softcoral #Indonesia #lembeh #Softcoralcowrie #macro #PanasonicLumix #GH5s #Nauticam

We wanted to wish everyone a very nice Xmas, and good health, lots of love and prosperity for the coming year!
We understand that for most of us, it’s been a year of……. Well, disappointments mainly. Not quite how we expected this landmark year of 2020 to be … Perhaps it was a lesson we needed to learn. That instead of focussing on what we want, we become more aware of what we have. Especially now with renewed demoralizing lock-downs taking place around the world, it is critical to send some positive energy towards the coming year, and an effort to see the advantages of these life-limiting measures.

For example, there will be less “drunk driving” incidents, from people attending Xmas parties! The accompanying video is a reminder of how we lost our beloved friend Francois du Frogfish in 2018 after he attended the company’s Xmas party….




#Xmas #drinkanddive #frogfish #live2021 #diving #Philippines #travel #ocean #underwater #drink #drinkanddrive #2020 #endof2020 #drunk #drunkdriving

In this minute of relaxation, we invite you to look deep into the eyes of this beautiful creature and let it take you on a journey through time and space. Amphioctopus marginatus, also known as the “coconut octopus” and “veined octopus”, is a medium-sized cephalopod belonging to the genus Amphioctopus. Meeting any octopus is as close as we can currently get to an alien encounter. Their physiology is truly otherworldly!
They have a large brain that extends into the nervous system of their arms! Which means that its brain is not in 1 particular place, as with most other creatures, but has more of a “Multiverse” approach to brain function.
Lacking skeletal support, this creature’s arms work as muscular hydrostats and contain longitudinal, transverse and circular muscles around a central axial nerve. Which basically means that they can extend/contract their arms, twist left or right, bend at any place in any direction and/or be held rigid. Each arm has a multitude of muscle controlled suction cups, that can grab, feel, manipulate, and even taste objects. Octopuses are basically “brains with arms”, or “thinking muscles”, that can control their bodies to such an extent, that they’ll fit through any opening the size of their beak. The parrot-like beak of all octopus species contain venomous saliva and is the only hard part of their bodies.
Octopuses, as well as some other cephalopods, are capable of greater RNA editing (which involves changes to the nucleic acid sequence of the primary transcript of RNA molecules) than any other organism. More than 60% of RNA transcripts for their brains are re-coded by editing, compared to less than 1% for that of a human’s. This allows the octopus to evolve/adapt/learn from the experiences of previous generations, without actually being taught.
Octopuses have 3 hearts and depend on the copper-rich protein, haemocyanin, for oxygen transport throughout the body. Although in cold conditions and with low oxygen levels, haemocyanin transports oxygen more efficiently than haemoglobin, it also tends to make the blood thicker, resulting in blood pressures that can exceed 75 mmHg (10 kPa). But, with 3 hearts, the octopus isn’t really worried about high blood pressure. As an added bonus, the haemocyanin makes the octopus’s blood look blue-ish. True royalty!
Named for their use of coconuts as tools for defence, the coconut octopus can also use clamshells, or these days a variety of plastic rubbish, depending on their size. Although they have the ability to burrow and hide in the sand, they prefer the extra security these tools are giving them. Often the shells and husks that the coconut octopus gathers, will be used for dens or “defensive fortresses”.
Amphioctopus marginatus is even capable of bipedal (2 legged) movement and slit-walking, which allows them to carry the coconut or clamshells, with the remaining 6 arms. The octopus will carry a shell with it while searching for another, testing several as it scavenges as a hermit crab might. Coconut octopuses are commonly found throughout the tropical Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Their main body is normally around 8 centimetres (3”) tall and including the arms, approximately 15 centimetres (6”) long.
Their diet includes invertebrates such as shrimp, crabs and clams, although they will also eat small fish if they can catch them. With three to five years the coconut octopus has one of the longer life spans for octopuses. The primary contributing factor to determining their life span is when they decide to mate. The coconut octopus reaches sexual maturity between 18 and 24 months of age. Once a male mates he will die within weeks, sometimes days thereafter. The female will die only after she has laid her eggs and they have hatched.
The mating ritual of the coconut octopus is a “fast and furious” affair. Males prefer to insert their sperm packet with their specialized “sex arm” into the mantle of the female as quickly as possible. It has been observed in the wild that the females often strangle the males that hang around too long, and then eat them. Not quite the preferred dinner date... To avoid being eaten, male coconut octopuses employ the “mate and dash” technique. Some also disguise themselves as females in order to stand a chance while approaching.
Since the mating style of the coconut octopus is designed to be as fast and as distant as possible, there have been observations of a female octopus “entertaining” two or more male suitors at once. Yes, a saucy coconut octopus underwater orgy, so to say. Since the female carries the sperm packets in her mantle until she is ready to lay her eggs, having sperm packets from multiple males is not a problem. Consequently, the hatchlings that emerge from a specific brood can have multiple fathers. What a fascinating alien creature this octopus is!



#coconutoctopus #lembeh #underwater #relax #arms #TakeaMinute #suckers #mating #brain #octopus #Indonesia #macro #PanasonicLumix #GH5s #Nauticam

Schloss Nordkirchen is a castle/palace situated in the town of Nordkirchen in the Coesfeld administrative district in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia, near the city of Münster, in north-west Germany. The present Baroque Schloss is the successor to a fully moated Wasserschloss built in the sixteenth century for the noble "von Morrien" family. The structure we see today was largely built between 1703 and 1734 and is known as the "Versailles of Westphalia" since it is the largest of the fully or partly moated Wasserschloss in that region. It was originally one of the residences of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster.
In 1959, the Schloss was purchased by the State of North-Rhine Westphalia and has since been the site of "Fachhochschule für Finanzen Nordrhein-Westfalen" (recognized University of Applied Sciences of Finances North-Rhine Westphalia), a state-run college specializing in the training of future tax inspectors. So it basically functions as a “Hogwarts” of “Mordor” these days.
The neighbouring "Oranienburg" complex and the park were subsequently added, as was the deer park (2004), which included a generous green belt of more than 1,000 hectares of woodland surrounding the south-western perimeter of the property.
The garden front gives entry to a landscaped park of some 170 hectares, reached through a formal parterre of scrolling broderie on-axis, flanked by expanses of lawn. In the gardens and the surrounded woods, one can find a multitude of life-size marble statues, of which the first deliveries were made in 1721 by the Munich sculptor Johann Wilhelm Gröninger. Other sculptures were delivered by Panhoff and Charles Manskirch.
Despite the “tax evil” that currently lurks at this location, it is a beautiful place to walk around and enjoy the sights. However, the evil could be put to good use if the freshly educated tax inspectors go after the big players and discover the huge tax frauds done by corporations and banks alike instead of torturing ordinary tax payers.



#schlossnordkirchen #relax #meditation #TakeaMinute #aerial #castle #VersaillesofWestphalia #Germany #palace #Westphalia #wasserschloss #fly #wideangle #DJI #Mavic2Pro

The star of this week’s episode of “Take a Minute” goes by many names, of which "Yellow pygmy goby" is just one. Since the name so perfectly describes this creature, I could’ve probably just left that… Anyway, Lubricogobius exiguus is a member of the family of Gobiidae. This family is tremendously large, comprising of over 2000 species in more than 200 genera, spread over 6 subfamilies. And yet none of them can be considered big. This cute little creature can grow to a maximum size of about 4cm. They prefer to inhabit muddy substrates, usually with rocky outcrops of rubble and/or debris, and can often be found in pairs, living in empty shells, holes, or in between the branches of hard coral, like Acropora, that provide them with a safe place for their eggs, as well as themselves.
Lubricogobius exiguus is one of those species that seems to have made the best of a bad situation, by seeing the ever-increasing amount of man-made rubbish coming into the ocean, as new real estate opportunities! These days, this species can often be found in discarded bottles, cans, and other trash with small openings. They feed on a variety of algae, plankton, and small invertebrates. This particular species of bright yellow fish doesn’t exactly blend into it’s preferred habitat of drabby dark colours. Thereby creating a contrast that seems irresistible to underwater photographers, and “critter enthusiasts” alike.







#underwater #relax #meditation #TakeaMinute #diving #travel #mindful #soul #Indonesia #lembeh #Yellowpygmygoby #macro #PanasonicLumix #GH5s #Nauticam