418 Dive Log Australasia JUNE 2026.pdf

to the spectacle. During the next few days we dived perennial favourites like Ski Run, known for its sandy patches and rich coral and fish covered bommies. It is named after a sand ‘slide’ that starts at 20m and heads down into the depths, very much resembling the mountainside slopes it is named after. Where reef joins the sand I tend to find a lot of different stuff. Look out for convict shrimp gobies and their crustacean roommates, white-tip sharks sleeping on the sand, harlequin sweetlips, different species of trevally, clown triggerfish and the list goes on. Special mention on this trip must go to a dive site called Eden, which had a little bit of a current running. You could swim against it, but you had to work at it. We always had a few grey reef whalers floating around, whilst schools of fish darted over the reef here. A massive school of batfish came in to keep us company, swirling around and making patterns as they do. This is a spectacular dive site, and one to repeat. Cocos Keeling (and Christmas Island) are dive trips that I do regularly, and here’s a few tips for when you come: Bring some instant noodles, or something light in your bags just in case the supermarket has sold out of items you like. Upon getting to your accommodation, dump your stuff and head to the supermarket for supplies. Others on your flight will be doing the same thing, and it’s not that big. It also may shut early, so don’t muck around. Make sure you set aside a day for the motorised kayak tour around the southern islands of the atoll. A great day’s adventure! Check out the website for Cocos Islands Tourism (cocoskeelingisladn.com.au) and work out which restaurants are open on which nights. When you get there, take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and enjoy the relaxed pace of these islands. You’ll always want to come back. Check out my website at: kenhoppenphotography.com.au for future trips and more photos!

A Cocos pygmy angelfish is groomed by a tiny cleaner wrasse.

A juvenile coral pigfish, also known as an axilspot hogfish, darts around the corals.

A blue trevally patrols the sand at Ski Run.

A threespot wrasse gets attention from a cleaner wrasse.

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Dive Log Australasia #418 April ’26

www.divelog.net.au