Dive Science

Water bends light, swallows colour and carries sound too fast to place. Most of what feels strange underwater is just physics doing what it always does, and knowing why makes you a calmer diver. Start with the altitude article if you dive from Johannesburg — it changes your tables.

Filter:underwater photography

August 26, 2026
4 min read

Why Colours Disappear Underwater: The Physics of Light and Depth

Red disappears within the first few metres of any dive, gone almost entirely by 10 metres. Here's the physics of why water eats colour, and why your brain doesn't notice until you see a photo.