Hi All
Back in the land of grey and cold. Great trip. Spent every day at least 2 hours in the water
The air temp was 30c and the water was similar. The beach at the hotel had a small coral reef just offshore perfect for snorkelling and full of parrot fish, angel fish, snappers, squirrel fish, puffer fish etc etc
Managed 3 tanks on an offshore reef one day where we were treated to barracuda, stingray, spiny lobster, moray, nurse shark and huge vase sponges as well as coral coral coral.
I have not dived coral reef before and found it 'interesting' it was not awesome though. Much browner than I was expecting and the fish whilst plentiful were on the whole small. The weirdest thing was the total lack of seaweed of any type.
The tank diving was sureal though. We went out on the boat for about 3 miles straight offshore and anchored next to a reef in 18m of water with the top of the reef coming up to 2m!! It was the temperature though that was the most amazing. You sit on the boat in t shirt and shorts, put a tank on your back, do your 40 minutes under water, come out and air dry still in t shirt and shorts in 15 knots of wind without feeling in any way cold!!
I even managed to convince my wife to do a PADI course followed by a 10m dive on a reef, which she said was the most amazing thing she has ever done!!!
Despite all the fish there was actually very little that I saw that was shootable though.
Andy
ps Thanks again for the guard of honour it was a huge surprise and an honour. I have some picks which I will try and post later
