409 Dive Log Australasia December 24

Reticulated butterflyfish add to the colours of the reef.

reef top here is in perfect safety stop depths of around 5-7m and warrants close inspection. There is a lot to see! Top of the list here would be the small flame angelfish that can be seen darting from hole to hole. The red markings are a giveaway, but don’t think they’re easy to photograph as they are not. They move at pace and seldom sit still. Perseverance pays off though. Also in this area are the small yellow Herald’s angelfish, though I haven’t managed to get a good shot of them yet.

Anthias, surgeonfish, trevally, butterflyfish and Emperor angelfish all mix to give the reef here a vibrant, energetic feel, topping off the dive experience after doing a dive that is different to most other dives in Palau, and even the world. This is a dive that provides surprises to those prepared to look. One day though I’m going to have to take a wide-angle lens down here. Maybe.

Titan triggerfish are known to be aggressive when protecting their nests, but this individual was very chilled as it was being cleaned.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #409 - December ‘24

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