In July 2009, I spent an intense and memorable week diving with Luke Atkinson of Emperor Divers out of Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam, Egypt. As an underwater photographer himself Luke knew exactly what to do to make the best of every dive. Through a combination of some outstanding luck and Luke’s expert local knowledge, every day brought exciting new photographic opportunities. I doubted such a really remarkable week could ever be repeated but twelve years later it was.

In March 2021 I spent a week diving Victoria's Mornington Peninsula with Sam Glenn-Smith of The Scuba Doctor Australia and again that combination of amazing luck and an Instructor with expert local knowledge and photographic nous combined for a truly brilliant week. Sam took me to Blairgowrie, Portsea, Rye and Sorrento Piers as well as Chinamans Hat and The Anchors in Port Phillip Bay and Lonsdale Arches, Lonsdale Wall and RIP Bank just outside Port Phillip Heads. I stayed at The Rye Hotel, close to Rye Pier which was fortunate as it quickly became my favourite local dive site. It was built around 1860 and is an L-shaped pier approximately 500 metres long. “What would you like to see here?” asked Sam. “A Southern Blue-ringed Octopus please” I replied. Sam ensured that I had my best-ever Blue-ringed encounter. I didn’t ask Sam for a Short Boarfish or Southern Velvetfish or Pot Bellied Seahorses or Southern Keeled Octopus or Tasmanian Blennies but nevertheless Sam insisted on showing me these and other gorgeous species one after another after another. I didn’t complain too much!