UPY 2025

UPY  British Waters Compact - Commended
'Sparring spider crabs'
Martin Stevens

Spider crabs can be one of the most impressive beasts we get in UK waters. I wasn't really expecting to see any so early in the spring, but after a short while spotted two relatively small crabs on a collision course moving along a gully between the kelp. Expecting them to pass each other it was a surprise when they instead launched into battle. I quickly dived down to try and capture the action and got few shots before one crab submitted and scurried off. I was really pleased to get the photo here - I was doing my amateurish version of freediving, but was underweighted, and didn't yet own a strobe to freeze the action. So, after fighting the buoyancy of my wetsuit while trying to hold the camera steady enough in the milky waters it was a happy surprise when I later reviewed the images.

Judge's comment: We kept coming back to this image and chuckling. This scene from ‘Underwater Strictly’, as well as being good technically, provided welcome levity. - Peter Rowlands