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brightly coloured moon wrasse were in abundance
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date: 22/5/2009
Author:Nick Brennan
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Weather: Sunshine!
Air Temp: 21 ºC
Wind: SW 10-15 knots
Water Temp: 24ºC
Water Visibility: ~20 m
Sea State: Calm
The weather was absolutely magnificent today here at Lady Elliot Island with clear sunny skies and light winds.
The glass bottom boat was amazing! A massive manta was stationed over the lighthouse bommies gently flapping its wings to the delight of our guests. Lots of fish came out and plucked the parasites off the mantas surface allowing everybody to see a cleaner station in action. Second reef looked beautiful with the sun out and the reef shimmering through the crystal clear water. A pair of emperor angelfish had guests gaping in awe its elaborate patterns and vivid colours. They retreated under a coral ledge and watched as our curious guests dived down for a closer look.
On the island discovery tour guests were fortunate to see the blue spotted lagoon ray resting on the sand close to shore. The crystal clear water allowed it to be observed easily and Nick explained about the orifice behind the stingray’s eye known as the spiracle. This special adaptation washes water over the ray’s gills allowing it to sit completely motionless on the bottom. A seagull then landed close by startling the sleeping ray and guests watched it shoot out into deeper water creating a big splash.
At fish feeding a diamond scale mullet was seen leaping clean out of the water. On closer inspection this fish had an unwanted friend in the form of a remora and appeared to be doing everything it could to shake it off its body. The brightly coloured moon wrasse were in abundance this afternoon, and the guests were fascinated to hear about the sex change that happens when a fish becomes the largest and strongest in the group.
In the afternoon guests came on a bird watching tour and had incredible luck coming across a pair of sooty oyster catchers and a pair of pied oystercatchers at the end of the airstrip. The guide explained about their decoy behaviour to lure predators away from their chicks. It was well observed today with one bird putting on a real show limping on one leg and pretending it had a broken wing before going and limping on the other leg only a minute or so later. Our guests thought it was great that this behaviour could be so easily observed.
Guests then enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner and moseyed off to bed with the soothing sound of surf roaring on the outer reef. |
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Jess feeding fish - J Fox
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