The oceans and seas of the world have received several centuries of close study, yet some areas of our own world remain mysterious and undocumented. We cannot be sure we know everything we share this world with.

Technology has come on in strides over the last century, yet we’ve only descended into the Mariana trench a handful of times to see what we could find. The endless possibilities of our deepest, most expansive oceans makes the familiar and beautiful seem strangely mundane: there’s a ‘been there, done that’ attitude to many more famous seas.

One area of the world’s oceans that has long been easily accessible is the Caribbean Sea. Take Antigua holidays 2012 and you’ll see this for yourself. It’s almost literally child’s play: you can snorkel you way along the shores.

The clarity of the water in the Caribbean aids studies immensely. It’s hardly the Mariana Trench down there! So it’s a surprise that researcher Carole Baldwin has discovered six new species of fish in Curacao’s waters.

Names like the ‘Banded Basslet’ ‘Sea Robin’ and ‘Goby’ aren’t exactly set to become household names, but the great range of sizes, shapes and colours they represent still make for an exciting new find. Skeptical that the ugly looking ‘deep sea toad fish’ is a new species? The researchers even took DNA from their finds.

To me, this find isn’t just about Science: it’s about the prejudices we bring to the Caribbean region nowadays. There is a lot more to discover in the Caribbean than we credit the region with, even if we’re not talking about stumbling upon new islands.

If we venture away from All-Inclusive Barbados Holidays, we may discover overlooked islands. Even away from the resorts on the better travelled islands, there are parts of towns and countryside you haven’t yet sampled.

There are also times of year to visit the Caribbean that slip the minds of most travellers. Festivals don’t just happen in the Northern Hemisphere’s summer! We have a nasty habit of seeing the Caribbean as one uniform area that’s this permanently laid back, invariable place. It’s time to change this attitude!

Steph plans to go on holiday this year with Kenwood Travel, who arrange Antigua Holidays 2012, and Holidays in Barbados 2012 in the UK market.