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Spring Behaviour Freshwater Netherlands May 11, 2026 It’s early May and spring is visible everywhere above water. Trees are turning green and filling with leaves, insects are starting to appear. Underwater, the same shift is taking place, but in a less obvious way. Growth has begun, small life is present, and reproduction is already underway. A system coming back to life While the water is still relatively cold but slowly warming, life is already in motion. Not explosive or obvious, […]

Publication: Perch egg ribbons in spring April 8, 2026 In 2025 I spent many hours diving in Dutch freshwater lakes during the spawning season. During that period, I focused on freshwater underwater photography in the Netherlands, documenting biological processes that often remain unnoticed beneath the surface. One of these observations developed into a photographic article on freshwater fish reproduction, focusing on the remarkable egg ribbons of the European perch. Perch Egg Ribbons This article focuses on the remarkable egg ribbons […]

DAHAB, EGYPT February 24, 2026 Dahab lies along the Gulf of Aqaba, where the Red Sea feels very different from the postcard image of shallow, gently sloping reefs. Here, the coastline borders a tectonic rift. The seabed doesn’t gradually taper into the distance. It drops. The reef ends abruptly and the blue takes over. You are not swimming toward an underwater horizon. You are suspended above depth. Lagona Divers was our base for the week, with Golden Blocks as our […]

A Rare Low Latitude Auroral Event January 22, 2026 “Auroras are not supposed to behave like this at this latitude.” Oosterbeek, where I live, is located at approximately 51.98 degrees north. This is a latitude where auroral activity is normally limited to faint glows low on the northern horizon, if it is visible at all. Clear overhead structures, distinct auroral bands, and a full auroral dome belong to far northern regions, not to a suburban field in the Netherlands surrounded […]

The Grey Trigger September 10, 2025 This past weekend I joined the dive team of Scuba World Arnhem for a trip to Zeeland. It turned into a weekend full of energy: great people, inspiring conversations, and a series of dives that offered both beauty and surprise. The absolute highlight was a truly rare encounter: The Grey Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) in the Grevelingen. This species is considered highly unique in the Netherlands because it is a warm-water fish that normally does […]