The Calm After the Storm

This charter definitely started differently than others we have lived through. Not too surprising, we are still in cyclone season, so nothing unimaginable happened. 

Unfortunately, our charter full of Polish men got delayed for 2 days as we were on standby waiting to see how Cyclone Rae was behaving. 

Fortunately as well, the group had 2 days to spare after their charter so we managed a week at sea after all. 

Overall, the weather was bright and sunny; water temp thankfully cooled down and visibility underwater increased.

Photo by Chris, full on rainbow at Namena Island

The word of the day, and everyday for everyone on the boat was “Kurva”. Which according to them could mean absolutely anything, (aha...) both good and bad, and the crew quickly adopted it in receiving the guests after each dive. 

Apart from that significant word there was quite the cultural learning from our guests to our crew and vice versa. 

Once the first day of rain and wind was over, only clear skies ahead. Strong burning sun above. Amazing scenery and life underwater. 

Kava party!

Already on the first dive, Sarasvati anemone shrimp!

“Current brings life” - Marek Klimek 

Cuttlefish at The Cathedral, E6

We can't have a trip without our anemonefish. 

“These are the richest hard corals I’ve ever seen. They were like terraces, I spent all my dive at 12 meters admiring them. Never, in all the places I’ve been to (Raja Ampat, French Polynesia, Egypt) have I seen such amazing hard corals.” - Krys (Hardcoral Wall at Mount Mutiny)

At Grand Central Station, Namena, big eyed trevally were the preferred breakfast meal for grey reef sharks, barracudas, and even a very angry yellow margin triggerfish. They are nesting at the moment, which only makes them feistier and meaner. 

Meanwhile the white tips seemed to nap on the floor until we came in and destroyed their tranquility with all the bubble rattle. 

A probable bull shark sighting and enormous pacific grouper… Schoolhouse keeps on giving and schooling us all. (Ha ha)

In general the group were big fish lover type of group, with the exception of maybe 2 macro lovers. 

Brown banded pipe fish at Kansas

Many nudibranch-flabellina-rubrolineata

Decorator dart fish

This was not the little fella BUT our fat black pygmy horse was very similar at Kansas

Whip coral shrimp

Oskar was incredible at finding all small creatures around and he introduced us to the right handed hermit crab, living in the small pores on the Christmas corals.

Right-handed hermit crab, super petit!

Once you see one, you keep spotting more! So cute and tiny! Waving their little (right bigger than left) claws at you. 

Fish flame dartfish, everywhere!

Amazing golden mantis shrimp

Big fin reef squid on a night dive

Vinaka vaka levu guys! Safe travels back to Poland!