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a starburst moray eel that was watching them cautiously
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date: 7/6/2009
Author:Nick Brennan
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Weather: Sunny
Air Temp: 24.4șC
Wind: NW 10-15 knots
Water Temp: 23 șC
Water Visibility: ~20 m
Sea State: Chop
It was another breathtaking morning at Lady Elliot with the North-West wind making the water in the lagoon look like a sheet of glass.
Those who were up early utilised the favourable high tide window and had a brilliant snorkel in the shallow waters of the lagoon. They saw a starburst moray eel that was watching them cautiously but at the same time allowed them to take some nice photos. A black tip reef shark also came right up against the shoreline and startled one group of snorkelers before getting a fright itself and quickly retreating back out across the reef.
The glass bottom boat headed around to the eastern side of the island where conditions were calmer for snorkeling. On the way around the island the group encountered over thirty Manta Rays all with mouths wide open in a feeding train. They were very graceful and exciting to watch as they cornered sharply making their fins come out of the water. Further along a humpback whale breached in the distance. Its long fluke was clearly visible from the boat. Everybody jumped in the water at tubes, a dive location on the eastern side of the island and it seemed that the whale action had all dried up when only 10m behind the boat a whale breached. Everybody gasped as it dove back under and for two lucky snorkelers it was the thrill of a lifetime, as they were lucky enough to see this giant under the water. They came back on the boat with their faces aglow at this once in a lifetime event.
The divers also enjoyed the abundance of sea life with Manta Rays consistently seen throughout the dive circling overhead. The divers knelt on the sand and leaned their heads back and watched in awe.
After dinner guests came on a night stalk and had fun doing detective work, trying to figure out where the land hermit crabs had gone from their tracks. They eventually came across two little hermit crabs that had been scuttling up under the octopus bush.
The island is teaming with life at the moment there is no better time to come and visit this magical place! |
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hermit crab - J Fox
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