Disgustingly Marvellous

Welcome onboard! This time on NAIA for a week we welcome back Robert, who was on Naia in 1996! We also had the pleasure to meet father and daughter, Philip and Colleen (Jameson is considered a food group, Irish and German background); Kevin (celebrating his early birthday) and RaeAnn (a teacher who loves to share diving adventures with her 5th graders); Larry (long time business friend of Philip's); and Janel (who plants frangipani (plumeria) and was so excited to see that Makogai had their own species!)

UndeNAI’Able could not be denied! With just enough sunlight brightening up the tops of the reefs; an absolutely gorgeous way to start the trip!

Beautiful shot by Kevin

The music soundtrack was brought to us by Janel’s underwater singing; full trip composition. 

Amazing hard coral and the endemic anemonefish ~ shot by Raeann

Phil and Colleen may as well be the most avid night divers we have ever come across, as they reserved their energy during the day (and ears) for our 2 night dives: at Cat’s reef and Alacrity. So many pleurobranchus, decent size sleeping turtle, crabs and shrimps. 

Shot by Raeann of that fully blown up soft coral 

Blue dragon just laid her eggs ~ Raeann

Sarsvasti shrimp ~ Raeann

“I got overstimulated at the end of the dive, from all the color and fish!” - Raeann (Cat’s Meow)

“I want my money back; there are NO fish!” - Larry (Mellow Yellow)

No fish ~ shot by Kevin

"Terrible, boring, like every single dive on this trip!" - Janel 

We do have quite a sarcastic bunch on board, don’t we?!

Bubble coral with a beauty of an orangutan crab ~ photo by Raeann

Close up from the previous photo ~ courtesy of Kevin

Are they kissing or fighting? ~ Raeann, what a shot! Two scorpionfish locked in a fighting grip (jaw)

We enjoyed the Wakaya experience!

On the first dive of the day, divers enjoyed a full hour of manta action, 5 individuals, with 4 at once, and multiple nice sized shark suckers floating in between mantas and divers.

Torantino was there, as well as big Tasha Angel and Billy Jean. I got to meet Okiwi, a manta divers named on the last trip! And one younger melanistic who we couldn't identify.

“No matter what comes now, I already got my money’s worth!” - Raeann

Clarita and a big chevron were getting cleaned on the second dive, so more mantas for the divers! 

"Can we go back to manta station? I miss them."- Kevin (on last day... sorry Kevin, we are way too far away)

Orange finned anemonefish basking in the sunlight ~ Raeann

Beautiful shot of a sea fan ~ Raeann

Sailor's Eye ~ Raeann

We had a full house for the village visit and it was so much fun; even the adults had some dancing lined up for us!

Top of wheat coral in amazing Kansas ~ Raeann

Grand central station gave and gave; a wall of hammerheads out in the blue, sharks hunting for breakfast (in specific red snapper), and a lone hammer head coming to say hi at Dory’s Home.

Larry got to see and film a giant pacific grouper making his way away from Magic Mushrooms; such a big creature!

Lionfish hiding behind coral whips at Kansas ~ Raeann

Tiny mantis shrimp defending their territory are super fun; put your pointer in front of them and you'll hear the ring when they hit it with those feisty punches. 

Family of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 sea noodles (pipefish) all together: squabbling, loving, getting on with their daily life together. 

Beautiful grown grey shark ~ Kevin

Three full grown silvertips at Tetons I! If there wasn't actual footage I wouldn't believe it! 

Coral crab that Mo found for Raeann ~ Raeann

I, Clau, could finally show a leopard blenny without it shying away before the diver arrived! Adore these fish! ~ Kevin

Dori's home! ~ Raeann

And Oh My Word, what a dive at Schoolhouse! The greys were hunting all around the divers, fish absolutely everywhere; schooling bannerfish, red toothed triggerfish, black snappers feeding on fish eggs, huge schools of big eyed trevally and barracuda! All with that wee push of a strong yet doable current! 

Divers were happy yet exhausted!

So much there was no energy for the night dive; a chill dinner with random topics and night night!

Such a hissy pair ~ blue ribbon eels ~ Raeann

Flabellina ~ Raeann

Teenage spadefish, not a common encounter ~ Raeann

Trip concluded with crystal clear blue at the Sea Mounts; E6 and Mount Mutiny! 

Geometry ~ Raeann

Christmas worms and anthias ~ Raeann

Vinaka vakalevu everyone!