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a whole bunch of Manta Rays
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date: 8/8/2009
Author:Nick Brennan
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Weather: Sunny and Beautiful
Air Temp: 22.4ºC
Wind: South east 15-20 knots
Water Temp: 20ºC
Water Visibility: 20m
Sea State: Calm
Well today delivered unforgettable memories out here on the reef.
Snorkelleres on the glass bottom boat had a great time amongst the turtles. They were incredibly mellow doing slow relaxed strokes through the water and allowing our guests to approach them closely. One small green turtle made for some perfect postcard photos. It was a beautiful specimen that posed for all the pictures and looked sensational through the clear water. A small group of snorkelers headed out with the guide out off second reef where the current was stronger and some Manta Rays had just been sighted. Guests were in for a treat. A massive manta approached the group head on before sheering away with its giant body at the very last minute. It was a humbling experience that will make for a great story in the future. Guests then clambered back on the boat where the skipper cruised up towards the lighthouse bommies to see about twenty Manta’s that were feeding along the current line. Manta rays are one of the great enigmas of the sea with very little research conducted until this point. A tiny little manta (say 2m across…) came by the boat feeding on the surface and made the group sigh in awe. Although little is known about their reproduction it is understood that mantas are born furled up like a cigar and unroll to be 1.5m straight out of the womb!
The divers also encountered a whole bunch of Manta Rays, basically sitting on the bottom mesmerized as the mantas glided overhead. An olive sea snake also gave everybody a thrill around the lighthouse bommies.
The afternoon saw spectacular reef walking conditions with slightly overcast sky and very light winds. The overcast sky meant that all manner of creatures had come out to play. Guests saw two New Caledonian sea stars that were contorted into a funny shape on the coral. Further along everybody stopped to watch a mantis shrimp swimming around a beautiful lion fish, a very photogenic and attractive fish that is part of the scorpion fish family and is covered in poisonous spines. These fish aren’t the most efficient swimmers however they are carnivorous so they need a method to catch their food. Red is the longest wavelength of light and the first colour that disappears underwater so it means the fish is practically invisible to its potential prey! This fish was very inactive and appeared to be pretending that it was part of the coral. It was an amazing find that guests loved. On the way back in to shore another amazing creature was spotted. It was an epaulette shark! This tiny little shark would have been no longer than 40cm and was hiding right up in a crevice with only its head showing. It was probably waiting until it got a little bit darker where it would come out and forage for invertebrates across the reef. It was a fantastic find and an awesome note to finish the day on.
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Manta - J Howard
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