DIVE LOG DECEMBER 25 ISSUE 415

The beautifully patterned hieroglyphic hawkfish was one of my photographic wants for this trip. A stunning fish to find up against the rock wall.

rock, keeping safe as they moved from crack to crack. The adults considered themselves safe in the open but the juveniles definitely did not. There were obvious reasons for this, the seals zipping around were probably not going to chase them, but the large school of small bonito tuna were a real chance. The juveniles flitted from hole to hole, jealously watching the adults as they moved towards the hammerheads to clean them.

Further on, large school of fish hung in big numbers over a small chasm, though it was the trio of spotted eagle rays that held everyone’s attention here. After they cruised past a few times around ten metres away, they decided that we were fairly harmless and were not worried about letting us join in their formation and become part of the family. Without any worries they would approach a diver face on and pause as if to ponder what we were and what we were doing. It is special when any creature accepts your presence and continues to do what they were doing as if you were not

For a long time I had trouble getting close enough to spotted eagle rays to take a decent photo. I should have just come here.

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DiveLogAustralasia #415 December’ 25

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