DIVE LOG JUNE 2025 issue 412

return flight to Port Morsby from Milne Bay (November 1942). P38 was captained by Richard T. Cella who thankfully survived the crash and the war. The wreck was discovered by our friend the late Bob Halstead in 17m of water in 2004. Although the visibility (due to proximity to land) is poor we were able to easily identify, and photograph, the twin fuselages, wings, engines, propellers, tails and the cockpit. This is where the 10mm fisheye (Terry) and WWLC wide angle lens (Cathie) and proper strobe placement to reduce ‘backscatter’ earnt their investment.

Flambuoyant Cuttle

another superb lunch we headed to what we could have called ‘Macro Heaven’ but it is named Deka Deka. Here we did two dives including a night dive. We photographed several ‘Flamboyant Cuttlefish’ and their bigger brothers the Broadclub Cuttlefish. There were also several species of Sea Spiders, along with various species of shrimp including Coral and the illusive Smooth Beak Crinoid and Emperor Shrimps. The next morning excitement was running high as we had reached ‘Gona Bara Bara Island Manta Station’. The small station is at 15mts and a very slight current was flowing. We swatted on the sand and waited. We passed the time by watching little Hermit Crabs, Sand Gobbies and Shrimp dart in and out of their communal home. A Blue Spotted Ray circled us that seemed to herald something was about to happen. Then out of the blue he came. The Manta Ray accompanied by several large remoras headed to the reef’s clean-up squad where Wrasse and various Chaetodons feed off micro

The next morning our attention was back on the reef. ‘Waterman’s Ridge’ has a beautiful arch and swim-through at 28mts that has its walls covered in Gorgonian Fans, Whip and soft corals. A resident Batfish and schools of Rainbow Runners also greeted us as we kept an eye out for the ever present Lionfish. Our Shearwater dive computers reminded us we were on a relatively low NDL at 28mts, a result of multiple dives on multiple days that some divers stupidly ignore or are simply not aware of occurring on such extended dive excursions. A simple fix - dive safety 101 - follow the rules and keep a close eye on depth, durations and surface intervals. And has we told one guest, forget your daily ‘work-out’ program. Later that morning we dived ‘Pinnacles’ which is a series of majestic peaks rising from 30mts with large Gorgonian Fans dominating the walls, but what was impressive was the number of blennies and nudibranch species we encountered. After

Massive cement sponge

Ten armed Feather stars on a Fan Coral

27

DIVE LOG Australasia #412 - June 25

www.divelog.net.au