Having traveled throughout the Indo-Pacific region, I knew that my trip to Lembeh Strait would be nothing less than incredible. And yet I had no idea just how amazing it would be.

After two weeks in Komodo and 10 days in Tulamben, Bali, it was hard to imagine that Indonesia had any more secrets in store, but the staff at Lembeh Resort was out to prove me wrong. Every once in a while, luck, a little bit of skill and proper timing combine to present us with an opportunity to witness nature in all its glorious wonder. In these rare moments we are witness to something so amazing that it sets our wow-factor bar to an almost unobtainable new height. Just such an experience occurred on my third day of diving in Lembeh.

Although I have seen and shot countless cuttlefish eggs throughout Indonesia and the Philippines, on this day it was an especially incredible experience.

As I back-rolled into the water and gained my bearings, I turned on my camera and strobes to complete my descent to the sandy slope below me. Almost immediately we came upon some flamboyant cuttlefish eggs and I noticed there was some unusual movement inside. I set up shop, dialed in my camera settings and watched in amazement as four cuttlefish emerged from their eggs in front of my eyes. They changed from clear white to bright yellow and purple before me and then slowly pressed themselves through their eggs and emerged into the sometimes cruel and harsh environment of the sea. Almost immediately three of the four were eaten by various fish, which had also noticed the hatchlings and watched for different reasons than I.

The sea always offers something new no matter where you find yourself —Asia, the Caribbean — the destination does not matter. If you pay attention to the small things and take your time, there is opportunity for amazement all around you.

To see more work by Greg Piper visit gregpiperart.com