Love Is Underwater & Mating Everywhere

Welcome everyone! It is September... how when why? Time flies by!

We are so happy to welcome every single person to the Nai’a family!

Guest Story Time sprinkled throughout the blog.

“I thought I died and went to heaven!” - Asher (The Whole Shebang)

Has anyone ever seen, on a branched hardcoral*, a lonely emperor shrimp getting head-bumped by a golden coral goby (half the size of the shrimp btw)? 

Underwater life can be so comical and savage. 

*pocillora (for anyone interested in the specific coral)

Peek-a-boo leopard blenny ~ this photo perfectly describes their personalities ~ look at those LASHES ~ Anne

Christophe and Anne, French couple who live in New Caledonia, full of stories about the recent riots over there, as well as amazing stories about the diving and whale encounters!

Beautiful dancer style shot of Anne by Christophe inside the Cathedral at E6

“They (fish) were so funny, waiting their turn to get their mouths cleaned. I was having the best time watching them politely take their turn.” - Asher

Asher, English crazy pants living in the States. She also is blessed with working all around the world. We can now joke about it (she is ok) but she did teach all of us a lesson on stair safety protocol after landing on her ass.

A scared looking Asher getting her mouth cleaned by white banded cleaner shrimps ~ also her next Tinder profile

“I have not seen coral like this in years.” - Tom

Hard coral ~ Dani

A day full of turtles, scorpionfish, flatworms, blue dragons all around, and tons and tons of coral: hard, soft, blown up and shriveled! 

Fuchsia amazing flatworm ~ Anne

Blue dragon making its way through green algae ~ Anne

Tom and Kato, US and Japan, long time friends, taking in notes from everyone else to plan their next adventure. Their relationship is hilarious, real insight into their friendship. 

Some divers found big boxer crabs at night, slipper lobster, baby (not) scorpionfish, decorator crabs, and a real oddity: a large scorpionfish with a bunch of crinoids hitchhiking a ride on its body. 

Furry dotted hermit crab at night ~ Louise

Ascen and Dani, Spanish couple living in Las Vegas; not that they spend time there really. They work mostly remotely and are able to travel all around for most of the year. 

They are big fans of this blog “We have to be careful what we say around you” (Dani) Of course not guys… just don’t forget your booties when you go diving.. It will be on record forever, muahahaha.

Orange finned anemonefish ~ Arjun

We drop in: groupers mating; changing colors and acting all feisty around us. 

Bumphead parrotfish strolling around in the deep. 

Showing a baby Randall’s shrimp goby yet next to it: underwater noodles (pipefish) and three Morrison dragonets looking up at us. 

Common lionfish ~ Daniel

“That dive is why we are here in Fiji!” - Christophe (after Tetons)

School of barracuda ~ Anne

Hammerheads, marbled stingrays, tons of grey reef sharks, and leafy scorpionfish. 

Green leafy scorpionfish ~ Louise

Louise and Craig, also UK. I feel.. .they are the most precise divers I have ever been with for a long while… every time I looked at them I thought: “They have not flooded a dry suit in their life.” Magnific!

The MOST sinister moving and looking octopus during a night dive ~ Louise

The last five minutes at safety level and in between all the anthias and trevallies hunting around, you could barely glimpse Marnie, kissing her two hands at the scene: chef’s kiss! Such a wonderful scene. 

Marnie from the UK, who used to work in the liveaboard work field and has been to Fiji multiple times. She was my hero, diving with a skin and vest… she is so petite, how?!

Typical safety stop scenery ~ Daniel

Squids were giving us a show near the surface and Asher and Arjun stayed the whole time with them.. Even evidencing private moments between the squids. They even tried to film it, these weirdos!

Arjun, married to the sea (and his wife), mango lover and thief, and actually has a dog called NAIA! Unfortunately he had to say goodbye to his 5 year old computer when it decided; I am going to stop working.

Dentist time with Arjun! ~ Daniel

At night, so many plurobranchus; absolutely huuumongous. Plenty of sea hares around and an octopus showing off its color and texture changing abilities. 

Sean from the US; we are happy to announce he survived the first day. He was a bit green in the gills yet we all pitched in to get him treated with everything on board! Maybe that is why he is so chill underwater. Some divers were in doubt about his living status from his stillness underwater. 

We keep on with the same vibe during the trip… mantas courting! 

Firefly, Johnny and Polyp ~ Daniel

This was such a special scene for all divers. 

They came tumbling from the deep all the way at Lion’s den and made their way to the shallow at Blue Ridge! 

We were all STUNNED and amazed!

It seems Django (beautiful female) has been courted for the past weeks and today she was followed by 4 males: Geo, Gaeta, Johnny and Polyp (only chevron). 

Other mantas came around the cleaning stations such as big Dorothy and young Mickey Manta. 

Another procession of males with Snoot leading the way followed by Dingo and Firefly (first timer for us!)

“Males are out and about, it's that time of the year!” - Luke Gordon from Manta Trust (after I updated him on Wakaya’s events)

Melissa and Gary, from USA, are absolutely adorable! Always ready for a laugh, a good morning sunshine, and soooo fun underwater! 

Not only that, at the main cleaning station we had the best time observing two octopuses also mating! 

Octopus courting ~ Clau 

“Is this a cleaning station or the red room??!!” - Christophe

Love is in the ocean!

More beautiful hard coral ~ Anne

White tip reef sharks; grey reef sharks; hammer head sharks; turtles (even one with a little flipper missing); barracudas; puffers in all sizes; and a first time seen black tip (for us). 

Zombie crab ~Blue eyed crab ~ Anne

And in Gau we continue with more greys, barracudas, white tips, octopus chasing each other, red snappers mating AND even a manta at Jim’s Alley!

Village visit at Somo Somo ~ Dani 

Tom was such a great hit with his dance moves ~ Dani

Last days at Vatu-i-Ra; full of life and color! “It’s nudi time!” - Louise (Howard’s)

Such a tiny nudibranch! ~ Arjun

Flabellinas ~ Arjun

Whip coral shrimp ~ Asher

Continuing with the charter's vibe, parrotfish spawning at the end of the dive with mackerels gobbling up all of the eggs! Again… Nature is s a v a g e (& horny). 

VInaka vakalevu everyone! 

It has been a blast!