Female Fifty Fathoms Award 2023, Merche Llobera - Oceanographic

1st place Female Fifty Fathoms Award

Merche Llobera Costa Rica

8°39'52.7"N 83°49'30.4"W

"In the Pacific Ocean's crystal clear waters, these four Chilean devil rays glided gracefully around me," says Llobera. "With my camera ready and my body submerged, I waited for the opportune moment to freedive and capture the sublime beauty of their aquatic ballet."

All of Merche's Female Fifty Fathoms Award images

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Costa Rica
30 degrees Celsius water temperature
Taken on snorkel
Site accessed by boat

“A beautiful turtle becomes a mobile home for some fish,” says Llobera. “These smart little fish know that the turtle is a safe refuge where they can avoid being hunted by hungry birds searching for their next meal.”

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Turks and Caicos
Windy conditions
Midday shoot
Site accessed by boat

“This photo captures a beautiful moment between a mother humpback whale and her calf in very shallow waters,” says Llobera. “I felt very lucky as they allowed me to swim beside them and look into their eyes. The tenderness and curiosity of these creatures is palpable, and it’s impossible not to be moved by the magic of the encounter.”

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Maldives
Calm conditions
29 degrees Celsius water temperature
Taken on scuba

“I took this shot in the Maldives during a liveaboard trip,” says Llobera. “When it gets dark they put a strong light on the stern of the boat to attract plankton and, with it, the whale sharks. It is a very special dive as it is not very common to see a whale shark feeding in the night. It took several hours for a shark to show up. It was a magical feeling to share the night with such a large and beautiful animal.”

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Late morning shoot
Taken on snorkel
Site accessed by boat
Sunny conditions

“When we arrived to this location the manatees immediately surrounded our boat,” says Llobera. “It was cold, but when you have so many manatees around you, grabbing your legs or trying to eat your hair, the cold doesn’t matter. I spent three hours laughing through my snorkel while taking thousands of photos.”

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Some swell
Mid-afternoon shoot
Site accessed by boat
Taken on snorkel

“Marlin Run is synonymous with action,” says Llobera. “In this image a striped marlin breaks a bait ball while the sardines try to survive.”

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Sunny overhead
Good visibility
Early afternoon shoot
Taken on scuba

“A cormorant swims quickly between different schools of fish trying to decide which one to eat while I, much slower, tried to get a good photo,” says Llobera. “Swanee Reef is a perfect place to see these schools of fish, cormorants and sea lions.”

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Taken while freediving
Mid-afternoon shoot
Site accessed by boat
Sunny conditions

“This photo captures a marlin and a sea lion vying for a meal amidst a bait ball of sardines,” says Llobera. “Both predators are focused on the abundant prey, showcasing the fierce competition that exists in the ocean’s food chain.”

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Taken on scuba
Morning shoot
Sunny conditions
Excellent visibility

“My favourite place on Earth to dive with sea lions is Los Islotes, in Baja California Sur, Mexico,” says Llobera. “I don’t know the reason why they are so sociable and playful there. The baby in this photo was playing with me until he stopped on the rocks with those big eyes posing for the photo.”

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Midday shoot
Windy conditions overhead
Site accessed by boat
Taken while freediving

“We spent more than 30 minutes in the water with these humpback whales,” says Llobera “watching them dancing, moving smoothly. It was a special moment that will stay with me forever.”