#chasingcloudschallenge — Public Fediverse posts

Chasing Clouds: Seychelles

https://scubahanknyc.com/2026/05/01/chasing-clouds-seychelles/

Chasing Clouds — Tubbataha

Far from land, sunsets take on a different character.

Out in the middle of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, the ocean stretches uninterrupted in every direction. There are no islands breaking the horizon, no city lights creeping into the sky—just open water and the shifting colors of the atmosphere.

On this evening, a long band of clouds caught the final light of the day. The sky ignited in layers of gold, orange, and deep red while the sea below reflected the fading glow. The water had settled into that calm, glassy texture that often arrives just before night fully takes over offshore.

Moments like this become part of the rhythm of life aboard a liveaboard expedition. The dive deck quiets down. Tanks are refilled. Cameras are checked and prepped for the next day. And for a few minutes, everyone pauses to watch the sky.

The reefs below may be the reason we travel here, but sometimes the best show happens above the surface.

Chasing Clouds — Heading to Durban

Framed by the oval window of a short flight, the sky shifts as the clouds roll past. This time, the journey is taking me to Durban, South Africa — a stretch of the KwaZulu-Natal coast known for warm currents, dramatic reefs, and shark encounters in the wild waters of the Indian Ocean.

Durban sits where the Indian Ocean pushes warm water southward, shaping both the reefs below and the skies above. There’s a certain weight to the light here — something that feels appropriate for what waits beneath the surface.

Every trip begins the same way: a small plane, a wide sky, and the quiet anticipation of what’s coming next.

Some of the best frames happen before you ever hit the water. This is one of them.

Chasing Clouds: Seminyak, Bali

Much of my work focuses on the world below the waterline. However, the energy above the surface is just as captivating. Chasing Clouds is a collection of those surface intervals—moments where the light, weather, and horizon take center stage. It’s less about documenting a location and more about capturing the temper of the sky.

The horizon turns molten— this is the “peak” moment.

Afterglow and texture: the sky gets louder as the day gets darker.

Late afternoon burn. The sun hangs low in the haze, muted and quiet just before the sunset kicks in.

Silent observer. A splash of modern grit watching the day burn off.

That wraps up another chapter of Chasing Clouds. The skies in Seminyak always had something new to show. I’m looking forward to the next place that pulls my eyes upward.

Chasing Clouds – New York City

I’m starting the year by turning the camera toward familiar ground. These images were taken on Manhattan’s west side. They were captured along the Hudson River, from the Chelsea neighborhood. The view is looking north toward Midtown.

I captured these photographs on a warm summer night. Low clouds moved quickly overhead. They caught the glow of the city below.

In a city defined by its permanence, the sky tells a different story. A shift in light or the sweep of a summer storm can briefly reshape the skyline, offering a view that feels familiar – and new at the same time.

Chasing Clouds: Tobago — Skywatching in the Southern Caribbean

For this month’s edition of the Chasing Clouds series, we’re headed to Tobago in the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The journey began with the views from my seat as we started our descent into the island—layers of clouds, soft light, and the first glimpse of the Caribbean below.

Once we landed, we headed straight to Speyside on Tobago’s northeastern coast. The area is famous for birding; it sits directly across from the Little Tobago Island seabird sanctuary. However, we were here for the spectacular diving. Speyside offers some of the Caribbean’s best drift dives and vibrant coral reefs. But, when we weren’t beneath the surface, we enjoyed the dramatic, lush coastline and hillside. The following photos capture the scenery around our base on land.

That wraps up another chapter of Chasing Clouds. The skies in Tobago always had something new to show, and I’m looking forward to the next place that pulls my eyes upward.

#chasingCloudsChallenge #clouds #tobago #trinidadAndTobago

Chasing Clouds at Sunrise in Cozumel

Sunrise over Cozumel, Mexico—soft, cottony clouds split as the sun breaks the horizon, sending bright rays across gentle Caribbean swells. Quiet, unhurried, shot on a simple Sony point-and-shoot.

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#ChasingCloudsChallenge #clouds #Mexico #sunrise

Chasing Clouds: Atlantic Beach Sunset in Motion

Atlantic Beach, on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, is a place where the sky shifts and changes as much as the ocean. During my latest Chasing Clouds shoot, I set up my camera for time-lapse to watch the sun sink beyond the horizon. In just one minute of film, hours of light and cloud movement unfold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KcPV68V3iI

The sunset painted the evening sky with a shifting palette of red, orange, pink, and yellow. Each shade blended and faded into the next while the clouds drifted overhead. In time-lapse, the transformation feels even more dramatic, revealing how quickly the sky reshapes itself. Clouds twist, stretch, and vanish, changing endlessly, without repetition.

For me, sunsets like this are a kind of meditation. Even when sped up, Atlantic Beach still slows you down, allowing you to watch the constant transformation overhead as day gives way to night.

This film is part of my Chasing Clouds series, where I explore how clouds transform landscapes from the ocean to the mountains. Atlantic Beach offered a stage of light and color that made this moment unforgettable.

✨ Do you chase clouds too? I’d love to see your view of the sky. Share a link to your own cloud photos or videos in the comments below.

Chasing Clouds – Bali Horizons

Flying into Bali, the skies shifted constantly. For this month’s Chasing Clouds, we head to Indonesia.

Layers of cloud over the ocean, afternoon heat rising in textured swells, and sunsets that set the horizon on fire.

I know many of you share this fascination and have captured your own cloudscapes. Whether from land, sea, or sky, I’d love to see them. Join in with a “Chasing Clouds Challenge” post and tag me—I can’t wait to admire your view.

#ChasingCloudsChallenge #Indonesia #photoChallenge

Chasing Clouds – Bali Horizons

Flying into Bali, the skies shifted constantly. For this month’s Chasing Clouds, we head to Indonesia.

Layers of cloud over the ocean, afternoon heat rising in textured swells, and sunsets that set the horizon on fire.

I know many of you share this fascination and have captured your own cloudscapes. Whether from land, sea, or sky, I’d love to see them. Join in with a “Chasing Clouds Challenge” post and tag me—I can’t wait to admire your view.

Chasing Clouds – Heading to Mozambique

In Mozambique, the sky feels alive. Along Tofo Beach, clouds drift inland from the Indian Ocean, shifting shape as they ride the breeze. Mornings often begin with a hazy layer stretching over the dunes. This layer slowly parts to reveal streaks of soft white clouds against a pale blue backdrop.

(Click image to enlarge)

As the day unfolds, the clouds gain depth and texture. Some stretch low across the horizon like pulled cotton; others climb higher, catching the afternoon light in golds and grays. There’s a quiet tension in the air when they thicken. They hint at the chance of rain. Or they might simply move on without a drop.

The most striking aspect during my time in Tofo was the clouds. They echoed the ocean—restless, layered, and always shifting. The light would change in an instant, transforming an ordinary sky into something worth photographing. It’s that sense of constant movement that makes cloud-watching here so rewarding.

Chasing Clouds – Heading to North Carolina

Shark dives brought me to North Carolina. Cloudscapes kept pulling my gaze back to the surface.

Every trip here begins with hours on the road, the kind where you catch these leftover icons from another era. Heading in.

Engine noise and chop. Clouds stack up over the inlet.

Open water, open sky. No one else is around.

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Chasing Clouds – Heading to Seychelles

After hours airborne, the final leg of the journey—a descent into Mahé, the gateway to the Seychelles—offered a truly spectacular show. On the flight from Qatar, the Indian Ocean sky put on a breathtaking performance: layers of towering cumulus clouds shifted shape and color with every passing minute as we approached the tropical islands. This incredible display was the perfect visual prelude to a week of Seychelles scuba diving I’ve been anticipating.

There’s something about watching clouds from a plane window that makes time slow down.

With no frame of reference except the curve of the Earth, it becomes easier to see shape. The shifting light also makes texture and rhythm easier to see. These skies felt different—warmer, softer—like a quiet welcome before touching down in the tropics.

These five shots are the latest additions to my ongoing Chasing Clouds Challenge series, where I aim to capture the sky’s artistry, one flight and one frame at a time. I’ll be posting a full dive trip report from the Seychelles soon—stay tuned!

#ChasingCloudsChallenge #clouds

Chasing Clouds: Heading to Barbados

Some places capture your attention with their landscapes, others with their waters. But for me, it’s often the sky that tells the most compelling story. In Barbados, where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean, the sky is in constant motion. Clouds drift, shift, and reshape themselves against an ever-changing canvas of blue.

Skywatching Over the Atlantic

On a quiet stretch of beach near the Hilton Hotel, I found myself looking up as much as out to sea. Fluffy cumulus clouds floated lazily in the morning light, their edges tinged with soft gold. By midday, towering formations gathered on the horizon, their shadows flickering over the water. And as the day faded, streaks of pink and orange stretched across the sky, reflecting in the gentle surf below.

(Click on an image to enlarge)

A Moment of Stillness

There’s something about watching clouds move over the ocean that makes time slow down. In that moment, standing barefoot in the sand, with the waves at my feet and the sky unfolding above, the world felt both vast and still.

Another chapter in my Chasing Clouds series, another reminder to look up.

Where will the clouds lead me next?

Chasing Clouds – Heading to the Bahamas

Clouds shape the seascape. They shift the tone of a place from calm serenity to cinematic drama in a matter of moments. Over the Bahamas, the sky is a canvas. Light and shadow play, casting reflections on the water. They transform the ocean into a stage for nature’s performances.

In this edition of the Chasing Clouds Challenge, I captured a few moments over Nassau. Each frame tells a different story. Storm-laden skies roll over the horizon, and golden-hour clouds are bathed in soft hues. These images showcase the islands’ ever-changing atmosphere.

Approaching Storm – A lone dinghy floats in a restless sea. Dark clouds gather overhead. They hint at an incoming squall.

Open Sky – Wisps of white drift through a deep blue canvas, a fleeting moment of tranquility above.

Dramatic Sunset – The sun breaks through textured storm clouds, casting golden light over the water while shadows deepen the scene’s intensity.

Rocky Shoreline – A sky painted in pastels, where soft clouds drift lazily over the calm Bahamian waters.

Bow to the Sky – The boat’s deck leads into a sky dotted with glowing clouds. It captures the quiet beauty of a journey at sea.

Fire in the Sky – A golden sunset explodes across the horizon. It turns the ocean into a sea of liquid gold.

Whether your shots are taken from land, sea, or high above, I’d love to see them! Feel free to join in by creating a “Chasing Clouds Challenge” post. Tag me in your post. I look forward to admiring your work!

Keep your eyes on the skies and your camera ready—there’s always a story in the clouds.

#Bahamas #ChasingCloudsChallenge #clouds #nephology #sky

Chasing Clouds – Heading to the Bahamas

Clouds shape the seascape. They shift the tone of a place from calm serenity to cinematic drama in a matter of moments. Over the Bahamas, the sky is a canvas. Light and shadow play, casting reflections on the water. They transform the ocean into a stage for nature’s performances.

In this edition of the Chasing Clouds Challenge, I captured a few moments over Nassau. Each frame tells a different story. Storm-laden skies roll over the horizon, and golden-hour clouds are bathed in soft hues. These images showcase the islands’ ever-changing atmosphere.

Approaching Storm – A lone dinghy floats in a restless sea. Dark clouds gather overhead. They hint at an incoming squall.

Open Sky – Wisps of white drift through a deep blue canvas, a fleeting moment of tranquility above.

Dramatic Sunset – The sun breaks through textured storm clouds, casting golden light over the water while shadows deepen the scene’s intensity.

Rocky Shoreline – A sky painted in pastels, where soft clouds drift lazily over the calm Bahamian waters.

Bow to the Sky – The boat’s deck leads into a sky dotted with glowing clouds. It captures the quiet beauty of a journey at sea.

Fire in the Sky – A golden sunset explodes across the horizon. It turns the ocean into a sea of liquid gold.

Whether your shots are taken from land, sea, or high above, I’d love to see them! Feel free to join in by creating a “Chasing Clouds Challenge” post. Tag me in your post. I look forward to admiring your work!

Keep your eyes on the skies and your camera ready—there’s always a story in the clouds.

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#Bahamas #ChasingCloudsChallenge #clouds #nephology #sky

Chasing Clouds – Serene Skies over the Maldives

As we continue our journey around the world, chasing the most breathtaking cloud formations, we find ourselves in the tranquil paradise of the Maldives. Located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, this island nation is renowned for its crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches, and stunning skies.

(Click on an image to enlarge)

The Maldives’ unique geography, with its coral reefs and shallow waters, creates a perfect canvas for nature’s artistry. The clouds drifting lazily across the sky seem to mirror the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore. The soft, white peaks of the clouds evoke the image of cotton candy, tempting us to reach out and touch their fluffy softness.

The Maldives’ tropical climate means that the clouds are ever-present, providing a constantly changing tapestry of shapes and textures. From the majestic cumulus clouds that dominate the sky to the delicate cirrus wisps that dance across the horizon, every moment offers a new opportunity to capture the perfect cloud photo.

As we continue our Chasing Clouds journey, we invite you to join us on this thrilling adventure. Share your own cloud photos and stories with us, and let’s explore the world’s most captivating skies together.

Feel free to join in by creating a “Chasing Clouds Challenge” post. Tag me in your post. I look forward to admiring your work!

Share this:

• Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)
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• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

#ChasingCloudsChallenge #clouds #maldives #sky #waterWaterEverywhere

Chasing Clouds – Serene Skies over the Maldives

As we continue our journey around the world, chasing the most breathtaking cloud formations, we find ourselves in the tranquil paradise of the Maldives. Located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, this island nation is renowned for its crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches, and stunning skies.

(Click on an image to enlarge)

The Maldives’ unique geography, with its coral reefs and shallow waters, creates a perfect canvas for nature’s artistry. The clouds drifting lazily across the sky seem to mirror the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore. The soft, white peaks of the clouds evoke the image of cotton candy, tempting us to reach out and touch their fluffy softness.

The Maldives’ tropical climate means that the clouds are ever-present, providing a constantly changing tapestry of shapes and textures. From the majestic cumulus clouds that dominate the sky to the delicate cirrus wisps that dance across the horizon, every moment offers a new opportunity to capture the perfect cloud photo.

As we continue our Chasing Clouds journey, we invite you to join us on this thrilling adventure. Share your own cloud photos and stories with us, and let’s explore the world’s most captivating skies together.

Feel free to join in by creating a “Chasing Clouds Challenge” post. Tag me in your post. I look forward to admiring your work!

#ChasingCloudsChallenge #clouds #maldives #sky #waterWaterEverywhere