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Palau Aggressor II Captains Report August 25 September 1, 2013
Air temp: 82-87F
Water temp: 83-86F
Crew: Ike, Hector, Ben, Jim, Len, Adam, Cameron
On Monday morning we left the dock bright and early with our wonderful guests and equally wonderful weather. After breakfast we delivered our dive deck briefing that clarified for guests how our diving for the week would be conducted and then we went to the Teshio Maru for our check out dive. On this dive we explored the wreckage through them many holds and holes punched into the ship with great visibility. We found a multitude of cardinal and butterfly fishes along with many unique corals. Along the sandy bottom we spotted signal gobies and a ringed pipefish. We travelled along the deck of the massive wreck and past the bow gun we found a juvenile sweetlips. We continued on and dove around the massive kingposts and on one of them observed a large tomato anemone. Along the dive we also marveled at a large tightly knit school of jacks and the unusual bubble coral found on this wreck, as well as artifacts such as bottles. When the dive was over we met up with the big boat and enjoyed a Mexican food lunch and made our way to Ulong. After lunch we briefed our guests on how to use their reef hooks and then we took them to their first hook in dive at Siaes Corner. We travelled along the wall mesmerized by the schools of butterfly fish, fusiliers and snapper. When we made it to the hook in area we met by a fantastic parade of grey reef and white tip sharks. After watching the show for a bit we unhooked and explored the coral garden plateau where we found bumphead parrotfish, large turtles, nudibranchs and the skittish flame angelfish. For our last dive of the day we went to Ulong Channel and explored the channel inside out with a soft current, which allowed for exploration of the channel and densely packed coral gardens full of tropical reef fish. We then returned to the big boat and celebrated one of our guests 100th dive and followed up the celebration with a fantastic dinner and a documentary on marine life in the pacific before retiring for the evening.
On Tuesday morning we awoke in front of beautiful Ulong Island and after breakfast we set out on our first dive of the day at Ulong Channel. We had several unique sightings on this dive including a blue-girdled angelfish, horned ray, a large school of bonito, and a lemon shark at the back of the channel. Our next dive took us to Siaes Tunnel where we explored the deep overhead environment as well as the adjoining wall. Inside the tunnel we viewed decorated dart fish, pygmy blue back angelfish, and an exciting discovery of harlequin shrimp. Outside on the wall we found nudibranchs, turtles, some grey reef sharks and spent time on top of the plateau with schools of anthias and oriental sweetlips. We then headed to the big boat for a lunch of BBQ chicken and pulled pork. During lunch we moved the big boat to a mooring just outside of German Channel and made our third dive at Ngemelis Wall. We drifted along the wall peacefully observing beautiful corals and we found several long nose hawkfish as well as turtle and grey reef shark. Our next dive took us to New Drop Off. We had low current to begin with, so we lazily explored the wall and plateau above. While we snapped photos of sleeping turtles, anemones and more anemones, the currents power began to build and we had a nice show of grey reef sharks gliding between schools of pyramid butterfly fish and red tooth triggerfish. We then returned to the big boat and enjoyed a dinner of flank and tuna steaks. Then some of our guests went for the night dive at Ngemelis Wall, while others viewed a documentary on the battle for Peleliu during WWII. Our night divers found a large turtle passing along the wall in the shadows, shrimps and crabs, and towards the end of the dive we found a crocodile fish, spot fin lionfish, small moray eel and a leaf scorpion fish. We then went to bed in anticipation for the next day.
Wednesday we began early by firing up the big boat and moving down to Peleliu while the weather was nice and the swells were moderate. After tying up the big boat in the sheltered lagoon we had breakfast and prepared for our first dive of the day at the famous Peleliu Corner. We travelled along the wall and encountered large schools of snapper as we approached our hook in area on the outgoing side of the corner know as DCut. We travelled along the wall and had an encounter with a spotted eagle ray and after being hooked in we experienced a moderate-strong current that brought us several grey reef sharks of varying size. We also experienced the bumphead parrotfish slamming their reinforced foreheads together to assert dominance. The giant trevally were also a bit ornery and chased each other around. We then unhooked and travelled across the massive plateau observing palate surgeonfish and grouper. After this dive some of guests went on a land tour to soak in the history of the battle that took place there during World War II while the rest went diving at Orange Beach. On this dive we viewed artifacts from the war, large turtles, schools of jacks and we were fortunate to find a crocodile fish. We then had a BBQ lunch and went to West Wall for dive number three. Here our divers went through a small swim through out onto the wall and found creatures such as scorpion fish, nudibranchs and flatworms, schools of snappers and a multitude of turtles. For our last dive of the daylight hours we went to Barracks Point. Here we observed many turtles, various types of angelfish, giant clams and nudibranchs. We then returned to the big boat for dinner and set out to Turtle Cove for our night dive. We travelled along the wall observing soft corals and basket stars before an encounter with a white tip shark and then we went to a special place in the wall that houses paddle fin cardinal fish. We then continued on observing crabs and shrimp before we moved on top the wall in the shallows where we found lionfish and two of the enormous cousins of nudibranchs, the pluerobranch. One of the specimens was large enough to cover a Thanksgiving Day turkey platter! We returned to the big boat elated with the dive and chatted about what we saw on the dive before settling in for bed, absolutely elated with day.
Thursday we began the morning with a dive at Blue Corner and were fortunate to see both sides of the corner in one dive to the half moon pulling in water from both sides. We travelled over the plateau and played with our napoleon wrasse as well as observing barracuda, red tooth triggerfish, and pyramid butterfly fish. For our second dive we went to German Channel and after we stopped by the red anemone for photo ops we picked out macro life such as bulldozer shrimp and their companion gobies, blennies, dragonets, and twin spot signal gobies. We also watched unicorn fish courting and came across a few white tip reef sharks. We then returned to the big boat for a very satisfying lunch of meatloaf and Buffalo wings, afterwards we went for a dive at Turtle Cove. We traveled along the beautiful wall covered in soft corals and sea fans watching schools of square spot anthias, pyramid butterfly fish and then as we neared the corner we had large schools of black snapper, chub, a couple of grey reef sharks and turtles, of course. On top of the plateau we also found an octopus. We returned to the big boat for a dinner of pork tenderloin and baked basa before setting out on our night dive at German Coral Garden. Here we had sleeping turtles, moray eels, lionfish and many shrimp crabs and lobster. Once we returned to the big boat, our guests spent the rest of the evening socializing and watching performances recorded from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Friday morning we made our first dive at Blue Corner. The outgoing current carried us gently along the wall to our hook in area where we viewed sharks, king mackerel, and giant trevally until we sensed the current was going to switch to incoming so we travelled over the plateau among the many species of fish also making their way to the same destination. We hooked back in on the incoming side just as the current became strong and gave a fantastic show of sharks, jacks and red tooth triggerfish. Our next dive was at Virgin Blue Hole. We entered the chimney and found many nudibranchs, as well as scorpion fish and vast amounts of tropicals. We returned to the boat for a wonderful salad bar lunch and rested a little while before our next dive at Blue Holes. The ambient lighting was superb as we entered the four skylights and descended into the massive cavern. Inside we viewed dart fish, hermit crabs, nudibranchs and a hiding grouper. We then left the chamber and cruised along the beautiful wall all the way to the outgoing side of Blue Corner and hooked in again to enjoy one more show at this wonderful site. For our last dive of the day we went to Dexters Wall. As we first descended along the wall we passed through a massive school of black snapper and later found nudibranchs, scorpionfish, anemones and a black crocodile fish. We ended up changing directions on the wall along with the current and were carried passed a turtle and then a massive school of yellow snapper. There were literally thousands of the fish from the very shallows down to 80 feet and the experience was quite surreal. After our last dive of the day we made our way back to the big boat for an amazing dinner of prime rib, shrimp cocktail and ravioli topped off by peanut butter ice cream cake. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying time with our guests and looking over some of the photos they had been capturing throughout the week.
We started off this Saturday morning casting off the anchor and heading towards Jellyfish Lake where our guests enjoyed a peaceful snorkel with millions of golden stingless jellies. After this, we took our guests on a tour of the Rock Islands while they snapped photos from the boat and paused for photo ops in front of the famous arch. After this wonderful experience we headed to Chandelier Caves and explored the beautiful air chambers inside. Outside of the cave we explored the shallows and found mandarin fish for them to take photos of, as well as twin spot signal gobies and a baby banded sea crate. It was a wonderful way to cap off the week and the diverse diving offered in Palau. We returned to the vessel for a filling lunch and our guests spent the rest of their day exploring the local sights before returning to the vessel where Ben presented his slide show for our guests to see all of the lovely photos he took of them, and we reflected on the week. In the morning we wished our wonderful guests farewell anxious for their return to Palau.
Air temp: 82-87F
Water temp: 83-86F
Crew: Ike, Hector, Ben, Jim, Len, Adam, Cameron
On Monday morning we left the dock bright and early with our wonderful guests and equally wonderful weather. After breakfast we delivered our dive deck briefing that clarified for guests how our diving for the week would be conducted and then we went to the Teshio Maru for our check out dive. On this dive we explored the wreckage through them many holds and holes punched into the ship with great visibility. We found a multitude of cardinal and butterfly fishes along with many unique corals. Along the sandy bottom we spotted signal gobies and a ringed pipefish. We travelled along the deck of the massive wreck and past the bow gun we found a juvenile sweetlips. We continued on and dove around the massive kingposts and on one of them observed a large tomato anemone. Along the dive we also marveled at a large tightly knit school of jacks and the unusual bubble coral found on this wreck, as well as artifacts such as bottles. When the dive was over we met up with the big boat and enjoyed a Mexican food lunch and made our way to Ulong. After lunch we briefed our guests on how to use their reef hooks and then we took them to their first hook in dive at Siaes Corner. We travelled along the wall mesmerized by the schools of butterfly fish, fusiliers and snapper. When we made it to the hook in area we met by a fantastic parade of grey reef and white tip sharks. After watching the show for a bit we unhooked and explored the coral garden plateau where we found bumphead parrotfish, large turtles, nudibranchs and the skittish flame angelfish. For our last dive of the day we went to Ulong Channel and explored the channel inside out with a soft current, which allowed for exploration of the channel and densely packed coral gardens full of tropical reef fish. We then returned to the big boat and celebrated one of our guests 100th dive and followed up the celebration with a fantastic dinner and a documentary on marine life in the pacific before retiring for the evening.
On Tuesday morning we awoke in front of beautiful Ulong Island and after breakfast we set out on our first dive of the day at Ulong Channel. We had several unique sightings on this dive including a blue-girdled angelfish, horned ray, a large school of bonito, and a lemon shark at the back of the channel. Our next dive took us to Siaes Tunnel where we explored the deep overhead environment as well as the adjoining wall. Inside the tunnel we viewed decorated dart fish, pygmy blue back angelfish, and an exciting discovery of harlequin shrimp. Outside on the wall we found nudibranchs, turtles, some grey reef sharks and spent time on top of the plateau with schools of anthias and oriental sweetlips. We then headed to the big boat for a lunch of BBQ chicken and pulled pork. During lunch we moved the big boat to a mooring just outside of German Channel and made our third dive at Ngemelis Wall. We drifted along the wall peacefully observing beautiful corals and we found several long nose hawkfish as well as turtle and grey reef shark. Our next dive took us to New Drop Off. We had low current to begin with, so we lazily explored the wall and plateau above. While we snapped photos of sleeping turtles, anemones and more anemones, the currents power began to build and we had a nice show of grey reef sharks gliding between schools of pyramid butterfly fish and red tooth triggerfish. We then returned to the big boat and enjoyed a dinner of flank and tuna steaks. Then some of our guests went for the night dive at Ngemelis Wall, while others viewed a documentary on the battle for Peleliu during WWII. Our night divers found a large turtle passing along the wall in the shadows, shrimps and crabs, and towards the end of the dive we found a crocodile fish, spot fin lionfish, small moray eel and a leaf scorpion fish. We then went to bed in anticipation for the next day.
Wednesday we began early by firing up the big boat and moving down to Peleliu while the weather was nice and the swells were moderate. After tying up the big boat in the sheltered lagoon we had breakfast and prepared for our first dive of the day at the famous Peleliu Corner. We travelled along the wall and encountered large schools of snapper as we approached our hook in area on the outgoing side of the corner know as DCut. We travelled along the wall and had an encounter with a spotted eagle ray and after being hooked in we experienced a moderate-strong current that brought us several grey reef sharks of varying size. We also experienced the bumphead parrotfish slamming their reinforced foreheads together to assert dominance. The giant trevally were also a bit ornery and chased each other around. We then unhooked and travelled across the massive plateau observing palate surgeonfish and grouper. After this dive some of guests went on a land tour to soak in the history of the battle that took place there during World War II while the rest went diving at Orange Beach. On this dive we viewed artifacts from the war, large turtles, schools of jacks and we were fortunate to find a crocodile fish. We then had a BBQ lunch and went to West Wall for dive number three. Here our divers went through a small swim through out onto the wall and found creatures such as scorpion fish, nudibranchs and flatworms, schools of snappers and a multitude of turtles. For our last dive of the daylight hours we went to Barracks Point. Here we observed many turtles, various types of angelfish, giant clams and nudibranchs. We then returned to the big boat for dinner and set out to Turtle Cove for our night dive. We travelled along the wall observing soft corals and basket stars before an encounter with a white tip shark and then we went to a special place in the wall that houses paddle fin cardinal fish. We then continued on observing crabs and shrimp before we moved on top the wall in the shallows where we found lionfish and two of the enormous cousins of nudibranchs, the pluerobranch. One of the specimens was large enough to cover a Thanksgiving Day turkey platter! We returned to the big boat elated with the dive and chatted about what we saw on the dive before settling in for bed, absolutely elated with day.
Thursday we began the morning with a dive at Blue Corner and were fortunate to see both sides of the corner in one dive to the half moon pulling in water from both sides. We travelled over the plateau and played with our napoleon wrasse as well as observing barracuda, red tooth triggerfish, and pyramid butterfly fish. For our second dive we went to German Channel and after we stopped by the red anemone for photo ops we picked out macro life such as bulldozer shrimp and their companion gobies, blennies, dragonets, and twin spot signal gobies. We also watched unicorn fish courting and came across a few white tip reef sharks. We then returned to the big boat for a very satisfying lunch of meatloaf and Buffalo wings, afterwards we went for a dive at Turtle Cove. We traveled along the beautiful wall covered in soft corals and sea fans watching schools of square spot anthias, pyramid butterfly fish and then as we neared the corner we had large schools of black snapper, chub, a couple of grey reef sharks and turtles, of course. On top of the plateau we also found an octopus. We returned to the big boat for a dinner of pork tenderloin and baked basa before setting out on our night dive at German Coral Garden. Here we had sleeping turtles, moray eels, lionfish and many shrimp crabs and lobster. Once we returned to the big boat, our guests spent the rest of the evening socializing and watching performances recorded from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Friday morning we made our first dive at Blue Corner. The outgoing current carried us gently along the wall to our hook in area where we viewed sharks, king mackerel, and giant trevally until we sensed the current was going to switch to incoming so we travelled over the plateau among the many species of fish also making their way to the same destination. We hooked back in on the incoming side just as the current became strong and gave a fantastic show of sharks, jacks and red tooth triggerfish. Our next dive was at Virgin Blue Hole. We entered the chimney and found many nudibranchs, as well as scorpion fish and vast amounts of tropicals. We returned to the boat for a wonderful salad bar lunch and rested a little while before our next dive at Blue Holes. The ambient lighting was superb as we entered the four skylights and descended into the massive cavern. Inside we viewed dart fish, hermit crabs, nudibranchs and a hiding grouper. We then left the chamber and cruised along the beautiful wall all the way to the outgoing side of Blue Corner and hooked in again to enjoy one more show at this wonderful site. For our last dive of the day we went to Dexters Wall. As we first descended along the wall we passed through a massive school of black snapper and later found nudibranchs, scorpionfish, anemones and a black crocodile fish. We ended up changing directions on the wall along with the current and were carried passed a turtle and then a massive school of yellow snapper. There were literally thousands of the fish from the very shallows down to 80 feet and the experience was quite surreal. After our last dive of the day we made our way back to the big boat for an amazing dinner of prime rib, shrimp cocktail and ravioli topped off by peanut butter ice cream cake. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying time with our guests and looking over some of the photos they had been capturing throughout the week.
We started off this Saturday morning casting off the anchor and heading towards Jellyfish Lake where our guests enjoyed a peaceful snorkel with millions of golden stingless jellies. After this, we took our guests on a tour of the Rock Islands while they snapped photos from the boat and paused for photo ops in front of the famous arch. After this wonderful experience we headed to Chandelier Caves and explored the beautiful air chambers inside. Outside of the cave we explored the shallows and found mandarin fish for them to take photos of, as well as twin spot signal gobies and a baby banded sea crate. It was a wonderful way to cap off the week and the diverse diving offered in Palau. We returned to the vessel for a filling lunch and our guests spent the rest of their day exploring the local sights before returning to the vessel where Ben presented his slide show for our guests to see all of the lovely photos he took of them, and we reflected on the week. In the morning we wished our wonderful guests farewell anxious for their return to Palau.
