Dive report - Muiron Islands Sunday 20 September 2009

It was a little rough and windy today as we set out for our full day tour to the Muiron Islands but it was totally worth it once we got underwater!  Cod Spot was first up and there were fish everywhere!  The cod were in two phases - lazing on the sand and darting furiously through the mid-sized schools of baitfish that decorating almost every coral outcrop.  The humpback whales were singing up a storm and we could hear them so loud and clear that it sounded like they were right next to us.  All of the usual reef suspects were plentiful and active: eels, sharks, rays, turtles, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, trevally and more.  Our best sighting today was the enormous manta ray that swam right over our heads!  It was gorgeous and completely blocked out the sun as it glided over us.  Magnificent!
WATER TEMP: 21C
VISIBILITY: 6-8m
CURRENT: none
SURGE: moderate
DEPTH: 17m

Whalebone had a special visitor today - one of the biggest potato cod ever! He was so cool, coming right up to the divers with his big fat lips and googly eyes. The visibility was a little poorer here and it muted some of the fabulous colours on this site, but there was still enough vibrancy coming through to make it pretty. Lots and lots of small damsels, fusiliers and anthias darted in and out of the coral while large silver trevally and barracuda patrolled very close to the ledges. It was a really engaging dive being able to get so close to everything.
WATER TEMP: 21C
VISIBILITY: 5-7m
CURRENT: none
SURGE: strong
DEPTH: 14m

We saw plenty of humpback whales on our trips out and back, but most of them were simply sunning themselves or swimming slowly along, doing big blows every third breath or so. Very peaceful day!