big island diver
Registered
Tracey and I went scuba diving on Sunday at Puako near our house. Went to a shore dive spot we had not been to before. After putting on our gear we walked about 100 feet to the small cove and set out, swimming to the left to find the channel.
Once out we started seeing many reef fish, such as, triggerfish, yellow tang, parrotfish and the usual assortment. Swam out about 40 yards from shore and found a big V in the coral reef to descend. So we oriented ourselves and dumped the air from our BCDs descending to 25 feet.
Within a few minutes we saw a spotted eagle ray swimming towards us. It swiftly ducked its head into the reef and came up with a fish, which it nibbled on as it swam by us at a leisurely pace. We then followed the reef down to the sand floor and leveled out at a depth of 76 feet. We saw several sea cucumbers but stayed there for only a minute as to not shorten our dive time by too much and made our way back up to 40 feet.
We explored the reef back and forth for a while seeing a variety of reef fish. As we started back toward the shore we ran into a turtle cleaning station. This is where a green sea turtle will hand almost still underwater and allow yellow tang and other fish to cleanse their shell and skin of algae and other parasites.
We saw a total of four turtles like this where one hung above us for several minutes and another swam within a foot of Tracey and within inches of my face as we hovered motionless. Absolutely incredible to have one of these creatures close enough to look you right in the eye. Grace and beauty at its pinnacle.
Our air supply was nearing 500 psi so we know we needed to head back to the shore and as we got near our destination another turtle swan within inches of me. I had to hold on to a rock as he passed by as so I would not run into him.
This was Traceys 7th dive and my 9th dive. An experience like this is why we moved to HawaiI and why we got certified in scuba.
Bob
Once out we started seeing many reef fish, such as, triggerfish, yellow tang, parrotfish and the usual assortment. Swam out about 40 yards from shore and found a big V in the coral reef to descend. So we oriented ourselves and dumped the air from our BCDs descending to 25 feet.
Within a few minutes we saw a spotted eagle ray swimming towards us. It swiftly ducked its head into the reef and came up with a fish, which it nibbled on as it swam by us at a leisurely pace. We then followed the reef down to the sand floor and leveled out at a depth of 76 feet. We saw several sea cucumbers but stayed there for only a minute as to not shorten our dive time by too much and made our way back up to 40 feet.
We explored the reef back and forth for a while seeing a variety of reef fish. As we started back toward the shore we ran into a turtle cleaning station. This is where a green sea turtle will hand almost still underwater and allow yellow tang and other fish to cleanse their shell and skin of algae and other parasites.
We saw a total of four turtles like this where one hung above us for several minutes and another swam within a foot of Tracey and within inches of my face as we hovered motionless. Absolutely incredible to have one of these creatures close enough to look you right in the eye. Grace and beauty at its pinnacle.
Our air supply was nearing 500 psi so we know we needed to head back to the shore and as we got near our destination another turtle swan within inches of me. I had to hold on to a rock as he passed by as so I would not run into him.
This was Traceys 7th dive and my 9th dive. An experience like this is why we moved to HawaiI and why we got certified in scuba.
Bob
