As a child he was like a fish – always in water. His first time on the water was when he was just six months old. It was in a boat on the lake. Before he could walk, he swam.
From the boat, he ventured out to the vast deep blue ocean. He was a fish most of his life. I dare say he could even be Sirena’s long-lost brother. He is larger than life but down-to-earth and easy to talk to. Allow me to introduce you to the King Triton of Underwater Photography, the majestic Tim Rock, whose work I’ve admired for many years.
Of all the places he could be in, he chose Guam.
While he calls Guam “home,” Tim treks the world, traveling to support the ocean’s preservation and the environment. If you follow him on social media, you’ll see his breathtaking photography of the underwater world. This is a world that many cannot go into, so it is a privilege to see his work and the mysteries of our deep ocean and life within it.
How did he come to Guam? Simple: to work as the photo chief for Guam Cable TV News.
But why did he stay? Hmmmm. Now that’s the right question. Many mainlanders move to Guam claiming, “Guam is America’s Best Kept Secret.” I agree. Except I think the word is out, folks!
Another reason you might also say he stayed was for love. Tim met his wife of 30-plus years here. She is actually from the beautiful island of Palau.
Did you know that Tim offers dive trips to Palau and, of course, Guam, as well as Tonga, Indonesia, Yap, South Africa and Mozambique. I am planning a dive trip myself with my family. We are looking forward to experiencing this unimaginable underwater world with Tim and his wife. He lights up when you talk with him about it, which makes me believe he is one of those unique individuals who does what he loves and loves what he does. He gets paid to play and what better playground than the ocean.
Tim is an internationally published ocean photojournalist and world traveler. His works have been published in Lonely Planet, National Geographic Publications and Smithsonian Magazine, among others. Yeah, he’s big time.
His artwork is available for viewing and for purchase on his website, on his Amazon store and at his giftshop located at the Fish Eye Marine Park in Piti.
The Rock of Guam is an established artist, author, publisher and a photo gallery owner. He has earned numerous awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Nebraska at Omaha School of Communications.
His latest accomplishments that I personally like are his clothing line and books. Recently, this aquatic addict—that’s a compliment— also published a book documenting underwater diving in Mozambique. His newest adventure and book that he’s working on is Diving & Snorkeling in Papua New Guinea.
Donna Hope Blas is a restoration and 3-D artist. She is a certified therapeutic art life coach and entrepreneur. She was born and raised on Guam. Send feedback to donnahblas@gmail.com
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