Swimming with the Fishes...
Another top trip aboard NAI'A. Excellent visibility & fantastic diving were only aided by a great mixed group. Ted & Joy brought young Ginger along to get her first taste of live-a-board diving & she took to it like a fish to water. Whilst completing her Advanced course with Brigitte it became clear she had better dive skills than most of us & was a natural diver. We had some good Manta encounters at Wakaya & excellent Grey Reef action in Namena as well as Gau.
Jeff gets up close with a Randalls Gobi under a ledge at Vatu Vai
A large black Manta swoops past Jeff at Wakaya
Anemone Fish line up to pose for Jeff
Popcorn Shrimp poses for Jeff in an Adhesive Anemone
Big Eyed Barracuda at NSAT taken by Steve
Steve get up close with a Golden Mantis
New Juvenile Ribbon Eel found and shot by Steve at Anthias Avenue
Steve chases down a Banded Sea Snake in Gau
Anemone Fish poses for Steve
A curious Grey Reef poses for Steve
Sharks all around - taken by Steve
Pipehorse Fish in Namena taken by Steve
Excellent macro. Close up of the Pipehorse taken by Steve
A friendly Octopus poses for Steve
White Tip Reef shark cruises past Rebecca
Blue Ribbon Eel at Wakaya - taken by Rebecca
Rebecca approaches fish patiently & gets great close ups
An Octopus hides in his den from Rebecca
Clown Trigger taken by Rebecca
Moray being cleaned in Namena - taken by Rebecca
Down in Gau we found a new Juvenile Ribbon Eel, a little black skinny one. Lots of other critters were also found in Gau - there are a couple of resident Golden Mantis Shrimps, so be careful where you put your fingers!!.
A great colour & texture change display from an Octopus in Namena was captured beautifully by Steve. The Octopus really hammed it up & posed for endless photos & video. A patient Rebecca waited on the reef for behaviour & got great shots of a Giant Moray being cleaned. South Save a Tack in Namena is made up of numerous pinnacles/bommies. For a patient diver the cleaning stations offer endless opportunities for great behaviour photos or video!.
Our Guests...
Comments
“NAI’A made a believer out of me! Fiji has been grossly underrated by both divers and scientists. Incredible fishes here and definitely worthy of protection.”
~ Dr. Gerry Allen, Ichthyologist & Author, Conservation International