Monday 29 October 2012

Eagle Rays and Lobster


Himmafushi Kandu Sunday 28th October am, 28 metres, 60mins

Yesterday morning after a stormy night the dive boat couldn’t go to the original shark destination south of Bandos due to heavy seas. Instead we went north, but the alternative shark site was too rough so we did a drift dive at Himmafushi. We saw a couple of eagle rays and 3 turtles and plenty of large fish in the strong current.
Blotched Porcupinefish, Diodon liturosus
Bluestripe Snappers, Lutjanus kasmira
Clark's Anemonefish , Amphiprion clarkii
Clown triggerfish, Balistoides conspicullum
Collared Butterflyfish, Chaetodon collare
Featherstar, Oxycomanthus bennetti
Maldive Anemonefish,
Amphipriion nigripes
Oriental sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus
Oyster on coral
Pin-cushion Sea Star, Culcita schmideliana
Spotted Eagle Rays, Aetobatus narinari
The planned second dive was scrubbed and we made slow progress through heavy seas and some of us dropped off at the house reef for our second dive.
Black-spotted Pufferfish, Arothron nigropunctatus
unidentified Chromis in Acropora coral
Oriental sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus
two unidentified Parrotfish fighting
Schooling Bannerfish, Heniochus diphreutes
Spotted Boxfish, Ostracion meleagris, female
Yellowhead Butterflyfish, Chaetodon xanthocephalus
fan coral
I managed to get some shots of some of the White-breasted Waterhens that wander arond the island. Yesterday the windsurfing instructor was feeding two very colourful red parrots that I have seen in previous years.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea
Hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus



White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus



The afternoon boat dive was scrubbed also due to lack of support so we all did a night dive on the house reef. Very pleasant, hardly any current and Bill, Gary and I did our usual routine – south to the wreck (17-25 metres), then north to the lobster cave, then south to the second buoy where we exited. The lobster cave had a resident lobster which came towards me and posed when I shined my light on it – amazing. This afternoon in the same cave two of them retreated to the back of the cave, which is at 8 metres. There was a huge grouper near the wreck.
Cock's Comb Oyster, Lopha cristagalli
Maldivian sponge snail, Coriocella hybyae
Oval butterfly, Chaetodon lineolatus
Painted Rock Lobster, Panurilus versicolor
Starfish, Fromia monolis

Featherstars, Stephanometra species: 







No comments:

Post a Comment

Please select 'Name/URL' from 'Comment as' drop down box and add your name, thanks.