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Sunday - school of feeding mantas encountered
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date: 21/9/2008
Author:Laura Smith
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Weather: Sunny and warm | Air Temp: 26.0°C | Wind: NE/N 10-15 knots | Water Temp: 22°C | Water Visibility: ~ 25-30 m | Sea State: Calm
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
The glass bottom boat tours today were, in a word, “oh-my-gosh-fantastic!” Manta rays opened the show, turning up before the boats had even pulled out from the shore. These majestic creatures were feeding on plankton just below the surface, when some turtles popped up as if to investigate. And then, to top it off, dolphins approached the boat within mere metres! Seemingly effortless, they zigzagged back and forth under the boat before disappearing back into the depths and leaving guests raving! One guest, just 12 years old, told me of her amazing experience watching a turtle devour a jellyfish.
Nigel the Silver Drummer was back at fish feeding today after a day of absence. He accompanied an impressive array of other species in a frenzied competition for the food pellets.
Our divers were excited by the exceptional visibility of the water, which revealed to them an astounding diversity of creatures. Silvertip Reef Sharks at Hiro’s Cave, Eagle Rays passing by Tubes, huge swirling schools of Trevally on Second Reef, and Bull Rays, Eagle Rays, Mantis Shrimp and much more in between! A huge Queensland grouper, estimated to be up to 120 kg (!!) lulled about as divers passed it by, allowing for an amazing close-up view. On the boat ride back from the afternoon divers, a school of feeding mantas were encountered, so the SCUBA gear was ditched and lucky guests donned mask, snorkel, and fins for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of swimming up close and personal with these incredible rays.
Special Events / Activities:
Keen beachcombers went on a “Flotsam Fossick” tour this morning. Fossickers were delighted by discoveries of crustacean shells, amazing coral formations, sponges, old seabird bones, and even the sand below their feet. Have you ever taken a moment to look at sand? Initially this might sound pretty dreary to some, but on closer inspection, there are many fascinating and unexpected features to discover. Sand itself is largely the broken down skeletons of many different kinds of marine life, including precious corals, shelled molluscs and weird & wonderful forams. If you are standing on a coral cay, take any handful of sand for inspection, and you will most likely see little flecks of bright red throughout – this is actually pipe organ coral, an especially eye-catching coral whose skeleton is not the usual white colouration, but rather a brilliant red. Its skeleton becomes sand grains after many years of weathering.
Special Guests:
Visiting today were eight travel agents from Atec/Fraser Coast Tourism, Southbound Australia, GTA, Accommodation Down Under, Australis Inbound Tours & Travel and Holiday Pacific. They toured the island for the day conducting site famils, and reported having a wonderful time!
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Manta Madness - Marty Charlton
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