 |
|
Monday - snorkellers amazed by groups of squid
|
date: 15/12/2008
Author:Laura Smith
|
CONDITIONS
Weather: Beautiful! Fine and sunny | Air Temp: 28.5 °C | Wind: SW/W 20/25 knots | Water Temp: 26°C | Water Visibility: ~ 10 m | Sea State: Moderate
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
“There were heaps of sharks around today… and they were so interactive!” said dive master Amy. Interacting with sharks might be an experience that many shy away from… but not so for the intrepid SCUBA divers visiting Lady Elliot Island! Although these sharks are harmless, the experience of swimming with them is still an absolute thrill! A grey reef shark swam around divers for a couple of minutes before heading beyond their field of view. Not one, not two, but three leopard sharks were seen throughout one dive. One apparently swam straight towards divers before veering and then swimming all around the group. An octopus was another of the reported highlights, and manta rays were also seen from the surface before the dive.
Snorkellers began at the Lighthouse on this afternoon’s guided shore snorkel, and due to a fortunate change in current mid-way through, they were taken right back to their starting point at the end. Turtles appeared, then disappeared, then reappeared right throughout the duration of this relaxing drift. At least 5 were seen within the space of about 45 minutes! Other creatures also abounded. We tracked a grey reef shark for a time as it lazily sliced its way through the water. Only moments after the grey reef shark disappeared, we were swimming beside a green turtle and a white-tip reef shark passed by! An unexpected manta ray was the icing on the cake to a wonderful snorkel. Finally, as we were swimming back in through the keyway, thick ribbons of dark ink mystified snorkellers. These unexplained swirling streams of ink were soon understood, when a large group of squid was discovered just ahead, right in the keyway. When alarmed, squid can squirt ink into the water in order to distract potential predators, so it is probable that we had startled to group as we approached and caused them to leave behind the mystery ink trail. These squid were a treat to watch; amazingly, they can change colour within the blink of an eye!
Sunset was exquisite over the water from our western beach, and many summery-clad people enjoyed gourmet nibbles platters and glasses of wine in the fading light.
The evening activity to follow was an educational reef fish identification presentation, where interested guests learnt to identify many of the various fish they had seen while snorkeling and diving during the day.
|
|
Squid - Laura Smith
|
click to download flash player