Moai Statue Found Underwater, Okinawa-Japan

A  friend and I stumbled upon a Moai statue underwater. The statue had a good amount of surface growth on it as if it been underwater for a long time.  Is It possible Typhoon Trami uncovered this statue? or did someone place it there on purpose for an underwater treasure hunt?  Typhoon Trami was devastating and destroyed the coral and killed a good amount of marine life.

DSC_6971

Moai statue- Ryukyu Islands

Regardless if the underwater statue is authentic or not, I was excited when I found it. I have never seen anything like this underwater.  I got the same feeling when I went to Yonaguni to see the underwater monument.

  • Moai replica statue size: Two feet in length
  • Dive spot: Kadena north steps
  • Location: Okinawa, Japan.
  • Depth: Forty-five feet
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Moai statue- Ryukyu Islands

Recent update: The mystery has been solved. It was purposely placed there by a dive instructor for a treasure hunt! The statue is not authentic but still a cool find.

I was not well prepared to photograph a subject of this size. The plan was to photograph tiny nudibranchs and gastropods. I had my underwater rig setup with a designated 60mm macro lens.

Underwater Equipment used:

  • Nikon D500 +Nikon AF-S 60mm macro lens
  • Nauticam Na-D500
  • Light & Motion Sola 3800
  • Sea & Sea YS-D2 strobes

Please do not use any images without my permission. Know your nature with Shawn Miller, have a great day!

True Fluorescence – Underwater photography by Shawn Miller

” Fluorescence is the absorption of electromagnetic radiation (light) at one wavelength and its re-emission at another, longer wavelength ” Dr Charles Mazel. I attached a link to his website at the bottom of the page for more info.

In order to photograph fluorescence you will need a excitation source (blue light), barrier filter and a camera.

Shawn Miller fluorescence setup

Shawn Miller fluorescence setup

Underwater equipment used – Night dive at Kadena north, Okinawa.

  • Canon 70d * Canon 100macro lens
  • Ikelite underwater housing
  • 2 x Light&Motion Sola Nightsea blue lights
  • 1 Light & Motion Sola 1200 red * 1 Sola 3800
  • Light&Motion barrier filter and mask

Some of my favorite photographs from our night dive with the crew

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

Palythoa heliodiscus under blue light © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True fluorescence

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

True underwater fluorescence © Shawn Miller

* Please check out my older posts on Fluoro-diving, Capturing fluorescence and Fluoro fingerprinting 

* Learn more about fluorescence with Dr Charles Mazel  https://www.nightsea.com/

**Light&Motion Dive lights https://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/sola

Have a great day!