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Wednesday - Tropic Bird Chicks
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date: 5/11/2008
Author:Jess Howard
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CONDITIONS
Weather: Sunny and hot | Air Temp: 28ºC | Wind: North/North Easterly 10-15 knots | Water Temp: 24ºC | Water Visibility: 15 metres | Sea State: Calm, slight swell
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
Sunrise at 5am saw early-morning trekkers doing laps of the island as the water lay calm and still at low tide. Turtle tracks were again sighted, no evidence of nests were found but still the sightings created an air of excitement all across the island.
Divers this morning at the Severance wreck caught sight of an enormous bullray, half covered in sand lying on the ocean floor, huge Green turtles swam with the divers for a short time, as well as a big Grouper. Adam discovered a few Crown of Thorns Seastars. They weren’t in mass proportions so it’s not too bad to have them here to consume some branching coral, to allow for a wider range of coral diversity on the western side of the island.
Glassbottom boaters were delighted to swim with Green turtles that popped up to the surface for a breath before swimming off again to have a nap or to continue mating. One Manta ray was spotted in the distance but disappeared when approached by the boat, obviously a shy one. In the water schools and schools of blue-green chromis gathered to nibble on drifting bits of plankton and algae, their iridescent colouring making them difficult to miss.
Island discoverers were thrilled to find whales off the eastern side of the island, just beyond the boundaries of the outer reef. They weren’t giving much of a display, just traveling south, but what an awesome find so late in the season. The Tropic Bird chicks were enjoying a little downtime with all parents gone, and chicks enjoying a snooze by themselves. Zulu, Damien and Sebastian were all sitting outside their nests. Fish feeding again gathered a mass of different fish, all colours and sizes, along with a multicultural crowd of guests to enjoy the sensation of fish swimming past their ankles, and gulping up their food.
Afternoon divers were jumping up and down with excitement as they described whales within 200m of the dive boat. Not showing off too much, just taking breaths, but how AMAZING!!! Also discovered underwater this afternoon at Second Reef were Grey Whaler sharks, an Olive seasnake, Harlequin shrimp and a few solitary Manta Rays. What an awesome afternoon in the underwater garden.
Now as the sun starts sinking into the clear water, guests are enjoying nibbles at the Coral Gardens, dipping into the cool water at the Lighthouse for a snorkel on the western side, and gearing up for an evening of reef trivia! Sounds like the perfect way to end a glorious spring day on a tropical paradise.
Special Guests:
Welcome back to Ms Sue Toms who visited LEI in October and liked it so much she brought her children back for a holiday also!
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Sebastian The Tropic Bird Chick - Jess Howard
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