Found Nemo in Indonesia. All photos by James Sturz.
A fathom measures six feet. It was originally based on the span of a man’s outstretched arms, but can also be imagined as an adult’s height. Since fathoms are commonly used to measure the depth of water, our contributing koan editor James Sturz reimagines the subaquatic world a few human lengths beneath the gluey surface in this photo essay, with images taken from his travels.
UNDER THE SEA – I learned to scuba dive in an indoor pool in high school and was certified in college in a lake. Admittedly, that was a while ago. But since I started exploring underwater — at first in the Caribbean and eventually in other bodies around the world — I’ve begun to see the world in two separate ways: There are things that happen on land, with lots of complications and lots of parts, and ones that happen underwater, which are simpler and serene. Usually, no matter how thrilling I find a dive, I’m a little wistful when it ends. But the underwater housing for my camera means I can float back to that other existence when too many emails start coming in. So that’s what this is. Underwater escape.
WHAT ARE KOANS ANYWAY?
They're the paradoxes that Zen Buddhist monks ponder to achieve enlightenment.
Behold the lobster, mighty armored beast, silent soldier of the seas.
Submerged near: Beach Restaurant, Petit Saint Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
...not to mention the tenacious Orbicular Batfish.
Submerged near:Amanpulo House Reef, Pamalican Island, Palawan, Philippines
One day, a battle ensued across the oceans. It forced the wary creatures to band together. The anemones shivered in the current, with nothing but a clownfish to protect them.
Submerged near: Labuhan Aji Reef, Amanwana, Moyo Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
And perhaps a roving band of dolphin to act as sentinels.
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