DIVE LOG AUSTRALASIA FEB 2025 ISSUE 410

Da Phat Da Phat s a deeper double pinnacle dive that has very healthy marine life. The coral gardens are as good as anywhere. It consists of a shallower sea mount that comes to 13 metres. Down its slope is another little sea mount. It is known for schooling Bannerfish and pelagic fish life. The dive plan was for each buddy pair to dive ten minutes apart so that there was more room. I was in the fourth group. We had a great dive with huge pink Ball anemones, beautiful sea caves, and some Long Nose Hawkfish. I spent quite a bit of time trying to get a pair of Hawkfish in one photo down at nineteen metres in a cave. Back on board after a great dive, there was a great deal of ‘Hullabaloo”. The first two had a large Black Manta Ray that swam with them for twenty minutes. We ‘knew’ that the dirty rotters were lying until they showed us the video. Our mockery stopped dead and we turned green and silent, completely humbled and jealous. We did not even see it. Da Phat is a really special dive featuring pelagics, rich soft coral gardens and the expectation of the unpredictable. Strong currents, plentiful bounty are essential to build coral gardens.

Ornate Lobsters

Saddleback Butterfly fish shows faded night colours after dark.

DIVE LOG Australasia #410 - February 28

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