redrover
Guest
Saturday we had Bottlenose Dolphin and Pilot Whales on the way out to Eel Garden, Spotted Eagle Ray and three Manta flybys on the early evening or daylight 1st dive. Harlequin Shrimp, baby Leaf Fish, I missed the Turkey Fish. The Garden Eels as expected, among other choice goodies.
Nice Green Flash, small but there when finishing the sandwiches and cookies and back down we went Mantas would come in one by one for a swoop or two with a long pause before another took a turn. Kinda weird and some divers were a bit let down.
We headed off for a tour and I was hanging back nosing around when the light come see signal flashed. I was helicoptering over a couple of shrimp and a nudi and hated to leave but something about it drew me in at a pretty good clip.
Arriving at the circle of divers looking down to see what there was to see, peripheral vision picked up funny orangey peachy glowey things, luckily. Slamming on the brakes I avoided doing a hit and run on two squid now between me and the rest of the divers. Amazing creatures, very hard to leave but the Octopus made up for it.
So we putzed around making our way back to the boat near the Manta circle of light where lo and behold the show was now in full swing. Eventually I had to begin my ascent and headed off where there werent any Mantas and hung out at 15 feet and watch the bigger picture. But before long I was surrounded by Mantas not just swooping overhead but flying circles all around me. I hope it wasnt a bad thing, but I sure got a real kick out of curling into the tightest ball I could and barrel rolling inside.
By the way; our bottom time was limited to 70 minutes. Ive spent the whole dive with Mantas too. Ill try to remember to ask when I go in to my LDS what the theory is with shorter dive times. It is common though to cut the Manta Dive in half, half Manta then take a night dive tour. This one was sure worth it seeing those squid.
Nice Green Flash, small but there when finishing the sandwiches and cookies and back down we went Mantas would come in one by one for a swoop or two with a long pause before another took a turn. Kinda weird and some divers were a bit let down.
We headed off for a tour and I was hanging back nosing around when the light come see signal flashed. I was helicoptering over a couple of shrimp and a nudi and hated to leave but something about it drew me in at a pretty good clip.
Arriving at the circle of divers looking down to see what there was to see, peripheral vision picked up funny orangey peachy glowey things, luckily. Slamming on the brakes I avoided doing a hit and run on two squid now between me and the rest of the divers. Amazing creatures, very hard to leave but the Octopus made up for it.
So we putzed around making our way back to the boat near the Manta circle of light where lo and behold the show was now in full swing. Eventually I had to begin my ascent and headed off where there werent any Mantas and hung out at 15 feet and watch the bigger picture. But before long I was surrounded by Mantas not just swooping overhead but flying circles all around me. I hope it wasnt a bad thing, but I sure got a real kick out of curling into the tightest ball I could and barrel rolling inside.
By the way; our bottom time was limited to 70 minutes. Ive spent the whole dive with Mantas too. Ill try to remember to ask when I go in to my LDS what the theory is with shorter dive times. It is common though to cut the Manta Dive in half, half Manta then take a night dive tour. This one was sure worth it seeing those squid.
