The Gamble Of The Ocean

Destination: Vatu-i-Ra, Namena, Wakaya,Sea Mounts, Vuya

Trip Date: Nov 1st - Nov 8th, 2025 - Comments

Author: Clau&Chris

Congratulations: Pauline&Hugo on their honey moon! Delia on her first night dive! Alex on his 100th dive!

Dive Ninja expeditions have landed!

It is always quite interesting to have a group, in which, some are first time ninjas yet some are basically full blown samurais.

Jay, their fearless leader, seems to captivate and retain his fellow divers' attention, and soon even we understood why… being a great pain in our ass and a complete joy at the same time! (Kisses Jay!)

“Jay, you were definitely delivered by a swan as a baby.” - Fi

No more needs to be said…

Pleasure having you all on board!

Amazing rainbow wall ~ Jay

“The coral down there just doesn’t seem real!” - Rolf (Howard’s Diner)

Sea fan scenery ~ Kellda

“I love dives like that: you have a first part which is amazing, and you think its ending, but no! Then you have a second part which is amazing.” - Chloe (The Whole Shebang)

This must be how the fish live ~ Kellda

Classical top of reef scene ~ Jay

Fi taught us a new sign for cute underwater: grab your cheeks and jiggle. Thanks lemon coral gobies, which made her do that while gazing at them lovingly.

Decorated dartfish ~ Jay

So many fish, so many small macro subjects! Pipefish, alone and in families; dragonets throughout the whole dive; clown blennies, all sizes; longnose hawkfish; r2d2 shrimps; cleaner shrimps: so many dartfish, including decorated; and so much more.

School of barracudas ~ Kellda

Giant trevallies schooling, golden trevallies and big eyed trevallies!

“It’s so cool how you can go from diving with sharks to a place full of Dorys!” - Pauline (Grand Central Station)

Grey reef shark in the middle of school of barracudas ~ Fiona

Dory asses ~ Fiona

“My heart is full of love” - signs Sandy underwater… I thought she was telling she had air… underwater communication, gotta love it.

Fiji endemic anemonefish in rose tip anemone ~ Fiona

Did anybody know that our little hole mantis shrimps will show you their ass when not interested? And that their little buts are like urchin shields? Craaaazyyyy

Classic reef top here in Fiji ~ Jay

Delia was introduced to her first shark!

Sevu sevu ceremony at village of Makogai ~ Chris

Alex kept holding his hand out for brown footed boobies to land on him.

Hello there. Two hermit crabs playing horsie? ~ Alissa

Congratulations Callie on your 6 years and 10 months sober! And thanks Ana for letting us know so the crew was able to surprise her with a beautiful song and dessert.

Jay met for the first time a magnificent, bicolor, young leopard blenny, 2 minutes before finishing our dive!

Kansas was so beautiful some divers switched even skiffs to get to dive it once again. And try to photograph the little pygmy seahorses… not easy subjects to capture.

Amazing shot of the arch ~ Jay

Meanwhile,

7 minutes. Of hammer heads. Circling around us.

Epic 7 minutes.

Maybe it's because we are nearing the super moon… or maybe they genuinely liked us. Who knows?

“I will remember that dive for the rest of my life!”- Chloe (Schoolhouse)

Amazing coral and anthias ~ Kellda

More soft coral and anthias ~ Kellda

Chloe also took really good care of her buddy, as she went down without a fin (fin was travelling by itself) and Chloe brought it to her with patience and care. Took Julie a smidge to realize it was hers!

Pontoh's pygmy sea horse ~ Jay

We have a new night dive enthusiast! Delia did her first night dive and it was “Like diving in space!” Welcome to the club!

Congrats Alex on your 100th dive! So secretive about it as well!

Molita, Johnny and Burrito J. Clamanta Esq. III ~ Jay

“I hope we get mantas… I know it is the gamble of the ocean though…” - Fi

We gambled and won.

Such a beautiful shot of Mickey Manta ~ Kellda

Mickey Manta delighted everyone with his personality, in multiple dives.

Hammer heads around.

Even a display of courtship behavior from Johnny and Burrito J. Clamanta Esq. III towards Molita, who was getting cleaned, minding her business before these busy boys came searching for game.

Django was chilling and cleaning and promptly left divers; she is a shy one.

Michele came in for a swoop as well.

Do you see the clam eyes? ~ Fiona

The gamble was also on the weather… we went through dark clouds, blazing sun and no wind, and a torrential downpour of water on us in a matter of hours.