HANALEI — After thousands of hours spent underwater, Hanalei marine biologist Terry Lilley has reached a goal. “Seven years ago I decided to video every reef creature I could find in Hawai‘i with my underwater HD video cam, and make
HANALEI — After thousands of hours spent underwater, Hanalei marine biologist Terry Lilley has reached a goal.
“Seven years ago I decided to video every reef creature I could find in Hawai‘i with my underwater HD video cam, and make a professional movie,” Lilley said. “After doing over 1,000 scuba dives on five different Hawaiian islands, my movie is finished and ready for sale. It has more than 100 of the most common fish species shot in high definition.”
The name of the new movie is “The Worlds Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fish” and it is the fist in a series of professional movies Lilley is hoping to release.
The movie sells for less than $25, and Lilley promises that “proceeds from the sale of this video will go back into my coral reef research project to help keep the reefs and marine life in Hawai‘i healthy for future generations to enjoy.”
Lilley hopes to sell the 45-minute-long movie in dive shops, snorkel rental shops, sea life parks, museums, fish and tackle stores and aquarium stores. Since Hawaiian reef fish are often kept as salt water aquarium pets, their owners can now see what each fish looks like in the wild, Lilley said.
“The movie captures each fish in its natural surroundings, day and night, and will also teach you each of their Hawaiian names and what the names mean,” Lilley said.
His next video will be called “The Worlds Guide to Hawaiian Reef Creatures” and will feature lobsters (ula), octopus (he‘e), sea turtles (honu), urchins (wana) and more.
As Lilley points out, it has only been in recent years that small HD video cameras allowed the near-shore reefs can be documented along with all the creatures that live there.
“A few years ago this could not be done, and many old-time fisherman are happy to see the fish that they know so much about and have caught for thousands of years to feed their ‘ohana,” Lilley said. “I am just documenting what the Hawaiians have seen for a long time.”
Lilley is also filming underwater movies in the Caribbean, California, the Philippines and other locations to document reefs and marine life, and is planning to make additional movies and sponsor ongoing research projects and school education.
The “Worlds Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fish” is currently being sold at Seasport Divers in Kaua‘i and will be offered in other stores soon. It can also be purchased online at www.underwater2web.com.
