Craig Grant, Flying Fish Cove (Single Shot 2021)

I lived and worked on Christmas Island for four months between December 2020 and April 2021. During that time I came to love what I believe is Australia's best kept secret, a jewel of the Indian Ocean and our very own Galapagos. I was extremely fortunate to have been able to capture some incredible natural vistas as well as numerous oddities in the animal kingdom. I also endured one of the longest monsoon seasons in recent memory where supplies dwindled and the local community displayed a resilience which left me speechless. When I first arrived, the main port, Flying Fish Cove would normally exhibit moderate to rough swell which over time became increasingly hazardous. I recall one of the locals telling me how throughout most of the year, the cove is as flat as glass. I did not see this until the day I took this photo. This is a stitch of several images which allowed me to capture the incredible beauty of this natural harbour and the only safe landing on the entire island. Within 250 meters of the shore, the depth plummets to several kilometres as the island is the peak of an ancient volcano. I used a polariser to aid in removing any reflection on the surface of the water so as to help one appreciate the crystal clear, azure waters but was also careful not to over saturate the colour so what you see here is as close to what you see there on a perfect day.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.