That is one of the most unusual spiders I have ever seen. Great photo, excellent clarity!

What a strange looking creature, where did you find it?

Wow! And I do mean Wow!

Thank you all!
Friiskiwi: I have wondered my yard since the contest came out just looking for spiders, they are usually everywhere. After 2 days I had given up but decided to try again yesterday, I walked my entire yard and found nothing until the very last corner, I actually looked up and said to myself "forget it" and there he was hanging between my house and storage shed about 5 feet above me! I was thrilled at his coloring and fascinated by his beauty! And he was so cooperative too!

Much as I never thought I'd say it for a critter like this, well... this is a very nice spider

I saw a lot of these in Cuba, I agree the weirdest spiders I ever saw.
If you touch their web, where they spend most of the time sitting in the middle, they spin around like mad.
I guess the spikes put the gecko's off eating them, and the giant (by UK standards) toads that came out at night.

What a strange shaped spider! Very interesting