NW Divers
Just returned from Hawaii today and here is the first update of the “shocking” adventure I had diving on Hawaii and meeting my girlfriend’s family for the first time.
So to diving, I only managed four dives on the Kona cost, and I will cut out all the wonderful reef action with bright fish and warm water one would expect to hear and get to the cool stuff.
I did a Manta Ray dive at night time, and I’m not talking one off in the distance but more like 9 right on top of my head.
So let me set the mood and try and describe what took place. After the first evening dive all the dive charters (5) in the area left bundles of high powered lights on the bottom of the site in about 35 fsw. Those lights attract plankton which in turn attracts Manta rays, so looking down at the movie set lights you can see clearly from the surface you enjoy some drinks and food till darkness sets in.
Now the lights are shinning through the blue water and huge shadows start blocking out the light, now its time to gear up. Every diver gets a large light and is told to remove their snorkel, by this time 15 foot rays are circling the boat and you can see the massive creature right on the surface and even breaking the water with their wings.
As you gear up there is a frenzy underneath you, I lowered my mask and took my first breath and looked down, I actually had to wait for a ray to clear my splash area before I took my giant stride into the water.
Soon as my vision cleared I held out my light and instantly a 17 foot wide ray headed strait towered me, sure enough it glide right past my fin and upward past my body not more that 4 inches away right through the plankton around my light, soon as it passed me it did a mid flight reversal and did a summersault back into my light, the ray repeated the move about four times in a row.
That was just the first minute of the dive, after he left the rest of the divers hit the water and we all headed to the lights placed earlier. Now picture about 50 divers all with lights sitting in a circle around more lights in crystal clear water, I swear the image was straight out of the abyss. Sure enough for the next 40 minuets it was just diver bliss being swooped huge rays constantly, just unbelievable.
We ended the dive and I really could not believe what had just transpired, that boat ride back to the harbor with the warm wind drying my skin is one I will not soon forget.
Now to the “shocking” part, now my girlfriend is from a very small town in the back woods of Hawaii, and this was the first time I was to meet here Pilipino family which consisted of about 50 people and made me about one foot taller than the tallest person there. At about 6:30 I awoke to a screaming goat in the back yard and I was directed to “help out” now what happen next was right out of National Geographic, there was a goat tied to a table and many large knives laying every where. Then came the killing, one of the guys cut the goat’s jugular and the blood rained down to the floor as the goat struggled to gasp for his breath. As soon as he died………. I don’t know how much you want to here I guess let me know if you what the details. But to finish the goat story I actually ate raw goat brains and raw goat meat, just like discovery channel.
I haven’t had time to develop the pictures but I will post them in the next few days, I have some of the rays and others of turtles and girls you know the important stuff.
JUMBO
