Curled octopus and plumose anemones
Swirling schools at Toft Pier been watching me. You’ re more likely to see them on night dives.”
Shetland is also known for its array of seabirds, including the huge colony of gannets at Noss Head. Gannets are consummate marine predators, harrying schools of mackerel. Billy’ s photograph of gannets hunting underwater was taken with the help of Shetland-based naturalist
Richard Shucksmith.“ The cliffs at the back of Noss are a spectacular place to visit by boat,” says Billy.“ To be in the water with the gannets is an amazing experience. It’ s unreal watching them squabbling over fish.”
Current-swept sites are home to walls plastered with soft coral and different species of anemone, including the colourful jewel anemones more often associated
with southern parts of the UK such as the Isles of Scilly. The photo was taken at the Giant’ s Legs, a well-known dive site on the south side of Bressay.“ It’ s an absolutely amazing site and the walls are just covered in life. Whether you want to shoot macro or wide, it’ s got everything. It’ s one of my favourite dives, just five minutes out of Lerwick Harbour if you’ re on a RIB.”
Juvenile pollock on the move
Jewel anemones
Diving gannets at Noss 35