This question is presented to those of you who have seen what is described below. There is a line in a Jimmy Buffet song that says "Don't try to describe the ocean if you've never seen it." The location and conditions that have me stumped for descriptive words I have only seen twice. The first time was in Cozumel, on Columbia wall, about 100 feet down on a totally calm day, just before noon, with good sunlight penetration. The second time was on the back wall of Molokini crater off the coast of Maui, similar time of day and calm sea (very rare there). In each instance, looking away from the wall into the open sea, the color was indescribable, and visiblity was , no exaggeration, probably 150 feet or more. Some words come to mind- cobalt blue, lapus (gold flecked dark blue gemstone), azure- but none are adequate. The blue was luminous- like lapus it seemed to have a suggestion of gold or some shiny quality. But the depth of the color was like cobalt, but so much more alive. My wife/dive buddy Debbie was on the dives, the first as a relatively new diver, and she described turning away from the wall and looking out, and feeling almost compelled to swim into that indescribable beauty. I have had that feeling too, as if we were looking into earth's womb, or some other place of perfection. I am curious if any of my fellow scubaboarders have experienced this color for which there is no word, and whether you have made up a descriptive term for it. I have though of "infinity blue,"
"cobalt lapus," and "you had to be there blue," but someone must have done better. Anyway, not everything beautiful in the ocean is an animal or a coral or a plant. The ocean itself has a beauty that, when caught in the right light, is breathtaking.
DivemasterDennis
"cobalt lapus," and "you had to be there blue," but someone must have done better. Anyway, not everything beautiful in the ocean is an animal or a coral or a plant. The ocean itself has a beauty that, when caught in the right light, is breathtaking.
DivemasterDennis
