1st Place Compact Behavior

Laura Dinraths

Dugong dugon feeding with juvenile pilot jacks, Abu Dabbab, North Marsa Alam, Egypt

Sea & Sea YS-01 strobe

Canon G11 F8, 1/250th, ISO 80

"An incredible day for me for my first encounter with the Dugong! I have worked in NGOs to conserve this endangered species but never approached one myself before! And we nearly missed it! I am swimming and swimming towards the guide signaling at the surface, but it's very wavy and the bay is enormous. Desperate and crying, I eventually get lucky and there it is, the Dugong! What a peaceful creature who gave me 30 minutes of incredible encounter and underwater photography!