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Diving with Strong Currents

uniquejt

Updated: Jan 22

Our diving sites on day two would include Eagle Rock, just south of the equator, Black Rock and Figure Eight located just north of the Equator.


Site#3 EAGLE ROCKS (Batu Elang)

Location: 3 small islets S of Kawe Island

GPS: S 00 08.219 E 130 07.416 (general location of 3 rocks)

Photography: Wide angle and macro


Dive Site Overview: During our dive briefing we were provided with, for first time in my diving experience, a reef hook and instructions for it's use. There are several dive sites around the Eagle Rock complex with strong currents and in the event that the currents were too strong to swim against we would be prepared and equipped. On this dive we would practice deploying our reef hooks and their recovery.


We got in the water at 0727 and dove this site for 48 minutes with a maximum depth of 68 feet. The water tmperature was 84ºF and as it turned out, the current this day was manageable which helped us in doing the deployment and recovery of a reef hook in a controlled manner. While exploring this site we observed an abundance of soft and hard corals. When lit up with a light the colors were amazing! Suzy Wheat referred to one of them as "Aorta coral" due to it unique shape similar to an aorta, although I doubt a human aorta is purple and yellow in color.


The variety of shapes, textures and sizes of the coral made for a wonderful visual experience as we looked for other creatures hidden in this aquatic world.


Our guide found us a Leaf Scorpionfish on this dive. According to Wikipedia,"Taenianotus triacanthus is about 10 cm (3.9 in) long fully grown. Their color varies from green, red, pink, brown, ocher and yellowish to a ghostly white.


The fish is almost as flat as a leaf and resembles a leaf in many other ways. The head and mouth are large. Through their eyes is a dark line. The large dorsal fin starts just behind the eyes and has 12 spines and eight to 11 soft rays. The anal fin has three spines and five or six soft rays.


The venom of the leaf scorpionfish is considerably weaker than that of the lionfish and stonefish. The skin often has blotches that enhance a camouflage effect. This fish has appendages around the mouth, and sometimes real algae and hydroids grow on its skin".


After our dive ended we were picked up by one of the two tender dinghies and we returned back to the dive boat for breakfast. During breakfast, the boat traveled to the next dive site and crossed the equator. It is a longstanding maritime tradition to initiate sailors who are crossing the equator for the first time. Those who have not yet crossed are known as “pollywogs.” After crossing the equator they become “shellbacks,” or trusted subjects of Neptune, the Roman god of water. Although there was no offical ceremony, Karen and I are now officially "Shellbacks"!


Site#4 BLACK ROCK

Location: W of Kawe Island

GPS: N 00 01.300 E 130 08.450

Photography: Wide angle and macro


Dive Site Overview: Described as an extensive and often very fishy site worth multiple dives. Begin at S-point, swim along sloping plateau, reef right (W-side of rocks) to N-point where the slope ends and Tubastrea-clad pinnacles begin. Look for mantas in the blue.


We geared back up and re-entered the water at 1038 and dove this site for 57 minutes with a maximum depth of 71 feet. The water tmperature was now 86ºF and this is where we encountered our first reef manta rays.

Manta rays are truly amazing creatures to behold. They are, in my opinion, the angels of the ocean. They move effortessly though the water and exhibit poetic movements. It's a ballet performed by these curious but shy giants of the deep. Every encounter I have ever had always leaves me in awe and wonder of their beauty and grace.


We were fortunate enough to be visited by not one but two of these animals. They usually will only swim by a few times before leaving but these two individuals seemed very curious and just continued to circle us. I even think the first one waved to me in the second video. What do you think?

The word “manta” means “blanket” or “cloak” in Spanish, and it’s quite accurately descriptive of these large, flat, diamond-shaped cold-blooded fish with eyes on the sides of their heads.

Ending our second dive of the morning at 1135 we were once again recovered by one of the two tender dinghies and we returned back to the dive boat for lunch before our last dive of the day that afternoon.


Site#5 FIGURE EIGHT ROCK

Location: W Wayag

GPS: N 00 10.379 E 130 00.373

Photography: Wide and Macro


Dive Site Overview: Although connected underwater, from the surface this site appears to be two separate islands. It can be dived on a single tank by a non-photographer, but could easily be dived as two distinct sites by photographers or divers willing to spend more time looking for critters.


We once again geared back up, re-entered the water this time at 1439 (2:39 PM) and dove this site for 50 minutes with a maximum depth of 80 feet. With the water temperature now 84ºF my 0.5 mm diving skin was more enough to keep me warm on these repetitive dives.


This venue was known for the really small creatures known as Nudibranchs. Nudibranchs are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs that shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms, and they have been given colorful nicknames to match, such as "clown", "marigold", "splendid", "dancer", "dragon", and "sea rabbit". Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known.


This last dive of the day ended at 1529 (3:29 PM) and after returning to the boat to shower and get a snack we prepared to visit a special place in Palau Wayag. An hour later we were back on the dinghies for the 30 minute boat ride to Shark Beach.


Shark Beach is where you can swim or snorkel with baby sharks. I'm not kidding!. I thought about it but wanted to get some drone video and couldn't do both. I got to dive with Bull Sharks in Fiji last year, so I flew the drone and Karen swam with the baby sharks.

Everyone returned with all their fingers and toes.
Everyone returned with all their fingers and toes.

This is where we spent the second day of our live aboard dive trip. A long, wonderful day of diving ended with an amazing dinner on board the Jelajahi Laut with much more to come.

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