Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Breath-Taking Photos of the Underwater Realm that Inspired the Film SANCTUM

And you just had to know the man behind the lens was the late, great Wes Skiles.

It's photos like these that makes you understand how daring and ridiculously talented Wes truly was.

No, it's not a still from Sanctum - although James Cameron's new diving film was inspired by a near-catastrophic expedition by the man who took these pictures, Wes C Skiles.

This is a real photograph from one of the most mysterious environments in the world. You could visit Abaco Island, in the Bahamas, and have no idea that beneath you lies this vast network of caves, accessible by as many as a thousand 'blue holes' - submerged vertical caves peppered with entrances to this forbidding domain.

Exploring these passages is the diving equivalent of climbing K2 - you've got to be exceptionally well trained and well prepared. Even then, safety is no guarantee; Wes C Skiles died during a dive last summer.

Sanctum is dedicated to him.

(Click images to enlarge)




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3 comments:

NCBOOM79 said...

Makes me want to go diving seeing these pics.

Neutral Dive Gear said...

Aren't they amazing!?!?

Bertie Westcoat said...

All I can say is WOW! When I see these pictures, I miss scuba diving. I wish I can go to this place someday. Whitsunday Island is also a good place for scuba diving adventure. I went here last year to celebrate my friend's birthday. We did surfing and a lot of beach activities.