Pumpkin Spice Time? Pumpkin Oyster Smiles!

It was supposed to be a girls trip… yet it got hijacked… 

Nevertheless, the four men hijacking fit very well into the girls’ trip, so we really didn’t notice the difference!

Returnees and non returnees; all avid photographers plus Cat and Malia on board!

A nice mix of Americans, Canadians and Australians; everyone ready either with superior knowledge on Fiji diving or a big rig to compensate ;)

Philip Seys

First day was still a big windy (of course) yet sunny, so moods were high and underwater life was gorgeous!

Little hawksbill turtle, pacific bird wrasses, lemon coral gobies, golden damselfish to name some of the fish seen. 

Lemon coral goby ~ Virginia Worn-Ross

Pumped up soft corals; purples pinks and golden yellows; as well as the drapey soft corals. 

Neon orange, yellow, green and purple. 

Even better referred as the “anorexic soft corals” - Daisy, as they do not pump up with current yet remain slim all throughout. 

Philip Seys

Philip Seys

“I was about to skip this dive; thankfully I didn’t!” - Virginia after a currenty yet so alive Mellow Yellow. 

Caught a lovely Randall's shrimp goby ~ Virginia Worn-Ross

Omg, so many mantas!

Beautiful Nai'a (and Mo posing with her!) ~ Lureen Ferretti

Cleaning and courting. 

Johnny was the first appearance; followed by Nai'a Blue who had a nice cleaning done. 

Tuks came in when the cleaner station was free once again and decided to evacuate basically on us...

When a manta “goes to the toilet”, it is DEFINITELY not as delicate as when a fish does! 

There are sequential shots and a REAL funny story behind this; the gist, mantas came out of nowhere right when cameras were off and ready to finish the dive! ~ Daisy Fernie

During the day the mayhem continued.

Shirley followed by Polyp and three more males; Firefly; Danny Pegleg; Tasha Angel.

Nai'a and Django shared the old cleaner station for a whole dive. 

Okiwi graced that area as well and stayed with Hilary as she snorkeled. 

Philip Seys

A lovely scorpionfish decided to place himself on the coral structure at the current split point… basically creating the ultimate challenge for photographers. 

Daisy Fernie

Blooming soft corals lining a structure; giant Pacific grouper, grey reefs, comet devilfish in a hole, Lori’s anthias, hawk anthias, and purple queen anthias. 

Golden damselfish eggs ~ Daisy Fernie

Did anybody else know that long nose hawkfish eat pygmy sea horses? 

I wish I didn’t know, but now thanks to Reen Bean I can’t un-know.

Even more mantas at Nigali Passage, which is not a common occurrence and we enjoyed them nonetheless!

Big eyed trevally rallying ~ Virginia Worn-Ross

“I saw a pregnant grey reef shark!” - Amanda, and there were some baby sharks as well. 

A remora bigger than the baby sharks that Phil was trying to coerce to attach to his fin and a lot of active white tip reef sharks. 

Cabbage patch ~ Patricia Dusman

We have no idea how but Patricia found herself again with a Pacific giant grouper… she shall be known as ‘grouper bait’ from now on!

Hammerhead shark ~ Jill-Anne McCarty

So much ruffle and buffle from flappy flappies on the surface, but they were not in the mood for cleaning. 

Those who were in a social mood were the hammerhead sharks; great sightings from many divers!

Blue finned trevally ~  Michael Leach

“That was the best dive of the trip! When I think Fiji, that is Fiji!” - Patricia

Blue ribbon eel ~ Philip Seys

OMG babies! ~ Michael Leach

Three eagle rays twirling around. 

Pontohi pygmy sea horse jumping. 

Leafy scorpionfish ~ Patricia Dusman

Hammer head shark in the blue. 

Fusiliers dancing around reef and divers alike. 

Patricia Dusman

Soft corals bursting and sea fans waving. 

Coral grouper ~ Patricia Dusman

“The fish life here is like no other I have seen.” - Daisy, coming up early, frustrated, because her camera had no more battery… argh!

Oriental sweetlips hiding ~ Patricia Dusman

Brook absolutely loved the Cathedral; came up with a wide, wide smile! 

“We stayed inside for the whole dive, everybody modeled perfectly… It was great!” 

The Cathedral ~ Brook Peterson

Patricia found the drapey soft corals hanging off Mount Mutiny perfect for Halloween day: “They have a kinda spooky vibe.” 

That plus the ‘pumpkin oysters’, real name thorny oysters, with their big orange smiles, do add to the spookiness. 

Virginia Worn-Ross

Cat found a gorgeous sap sucking slug, making his way downtown, on the big sea mount E6!

So exciting!

Yellow and blue fusiliers ~ Daisy Fernie

“Yellow and blue fusiliers mating!” - came shouts from all the divers coming back from a very very successful and incredible Maytag. 

In all fairness to them, Lureen and Frank have been asking for the fish to be mating for the whole trip, so that was some well deserved spawning action. 

“Just wow.” - Daisy

Free swimming marbled ray ~ Brook Peterson

I would like to add a personal note; it is quite heartwarming that after almost two years, on the last dive of a trip, we can find fish we have not seen yet or behaviors that are new to us!

Especially when you have been talking about set fish with guests all trip!

Majorie’s fairy wrasse ticked!

Leopard blenny guarding his eggs, double ticked!

Vinaka vakalevu everyone!

Hope to 'sea' you once again!