Saturday 27 October 2012

Paradise Reef, Devils Thila and turtles

Maldive Anemonefish, Amphipriion nigripes



Paradise Reef, Saturday 27 October am, 28 metres, 60 mins

After breakfast I collected a dead Swallowtail butterfly from beside Adel’s jacuzzi. This should enable me to identify it later. Bill saw one again roosting on a bush by the dive shop.
later note: It is an Eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina, which I have photographed in tropical butterfly houses in England: http://bit.ly/TDWlkl

Our first dive this morning was on one of the best reefs in North Male Athol. We have always enjoyed the soft corals on top and blue corals growing from the roof of the overhangs. There was some strong current off the reef, so much was used deep for 20 minutes then we enjoyed the shallower water and the wonderful reef life there.
Adel
Bandos dive crew
Fayaz gives dive briefing
Clown triggerfish, Balistoides conspicullum
Featherstar on Magenta Menella
Featherstar on Whip coral
Featherstars on sea fan
Giant Moray, Gymnothorax javanicus
Honeycomb Moray, Gymnothorax favagineus
Giant & Honeycomb morays with
Cleaner wrasse
Imperial Angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator
Moorish Idol, Zanclus cornutus
This is the usual view of a fish that I try to photograph
Nudibranch, Phyllidia alyta
Siphonogorgia coral -  a sea fan
Squirrelfish
 These fish commonly swim upside down
blue soft coral
 In ambient light this coral is blue
Featherstar on sea fan
Soft coral 
sea fan
Giant Moray, Gymnothorax javanicus
Whip coral
Devil’s Thila, Saturday am, 18 metres, 60 mins

The second dive was a very gentle one and a shoal of powder blue surgeon fish joined us. Bill and Gary are my dive buddies on this trip, both very experienced.
Fayaz gives dive briefing
Blotched Porcupinefish, Diodon liturosus
Christmas tree worm, Spirobranchus giganteus
Chromis & acropora coral
Featherstar

Adel with Abdulla on left
Longnose Butterflyfish, Forcipiger longirostris
Powder-blue Surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucosternon
Powder-blue Surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucosternon
Bicolour Parrotfish, Cetoscarus bicolor
fan coral
Saddled Sharpnose Puffer, Canthigaster valentini
At lunchtime I managed a shot of the mystery hen which Mark Colvin identified by email as a White-breasted Waterhen. Adel advised me he had a dead butterfly beside his jacuzzi so I now have a specimen of the butterfly which others have seen live. It turned out to be an Eggfly which I have photographed in butterfly houses at home.
Eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina
White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus
Faru Outer, Saturday pm, 22 metres, 60 mins

The afternoon dive started with a turtle and ended with one. There were plenty of eels, including honeycomb morays. A large turtle rested under an overhang. 
Abdulla
Anemone & Threespot Dascyllus, Dascyllus trimaculatus
Black-spotted Puffer, Arothron nigropunctatus
Blacklip Butterflyfish, Chaetodon kleinii
Chinese Trumpetfish, Aulostomus chinensis
Clown triggerfish, Balistoides conspicullum
Featherstar on fan coral
Featherstar on fan coral
Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas
Guilding's sea star, Linckia guildingi
Honeycomb Moray, Gymnothorax favagineus
Abddulla
we're over here!


Imperial Angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator
Lined Surgeonfish, Acanthurus lineatus
Starry Pufferfish, Arothron stellatus
fan coral
soft coral

2 comments:

  1. Hi Colin - beautiful photo from Paradise Reef. Looks like some great diving! Hope Adel has been using his jacuzzi. Sheryl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha, I'll tell Adel, bet you wish you were here! You need to join us next time Sheryl... Two eagle rays this morning.

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