Thursday 7 February 2008

Richard Akhtar makes another good call

Let’s try Naiqoro,” said Richard at breakfast. I wasn’t sure conditions were right, but, as usual, it was a good shout from the boss. We went to Spot X and had a cracker.

My group of 6 dropped in a bit further out than Joe’s group, as we were sure we’d catch them up easily enough. Joe had 3 marine biology professors and 3 of their students, all from Long Island University and they are as happy in a pile of rubble as they are in a school of sharks. As we watched them burrowing in the sand, I laughed as we watched 3 white tips circling them, which I’m sure none of them saw! As we left them in our wake, we started drifting along the wall, in water so clear we could see the surface from 30m. Surrounded by yellow tail fusiliers, schools of snapper and above us Crocodile Needlefish; trevallys and Jacks having fun with the bait fish, it was one of those dives that just makes you smile.

Then it got really interesting. A big walu came sauntering past, as they do, about 3m away from us. Nice. Then I saw something a bit bigger.
A grey reef shark. No, 2 grey reef sharks. Wait, 3, no 4,5,6. We think 7 was the final count. 3 smaller ones on the reef behind us and 4 bigger ones staying out in deep water.

Then a huge Spotted eagle ray, with the most beautiful markings I’ve ever seen, came swooping past and from the opposite direction an enormous napoleon wrasse cruised by. It was one of those “where the hell do I look” moments. If Jason wasn’t so big I would have hit him for letting me know at that point he was low on air!!!.

Oh well, you have to come up some time and the sun was shining and we all had stupid big grins on our faces – even Nikki!!

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