Day # 5 in Paradise

8/21/12

Day #5 in paradise

We arose early this morning (6am) and headed out to a nearby island to swim with the manta rays that come in with the tide to feed.  These rays are getting rarer and rarer due to fishing for Chinese medicine in china.  It is predicted that they may become extinct if fishing keeps up at the current pace.   I hope that never happens because they are the most majestic and amazing creatures.  The two that we swam with had a wing span well over 6 feet.  They look like some type of forgotten dinosaur.   It was an unbelievable experience!

Alex on the dive boat headed out early early in the morning. 

Pretty sore line... Don't we all wish we owned that little hut. 

so pretty 

On the boat headed to try and find some Manta Rays

We found them... they have a wing span of 6-9 feet... so amazing.  I took some videos, I'll try and get them up soon. 

They look so prehistoric. 

This one swam right up into my face.

After the Manta Rays we hung out on a remote beach and swam around in the beautiful water. 

The Fijian island were made by volcano's and here is proof, lava rock in the beach. 

Just pretty. 

After swimming with the rays we played on the beach of a nearby small island for "morning tea" and then went diving.  The dives were amazing as always but this part of the reef we were at was exceptional!  There was so much of everything and it is all so huge!  Again I feel like we are diving in an aquarium!  Not to much to say about the rest of the day... it involved lounging and eating and more sleeping.  Great day!

pretty coral

Giant Clam

One of my favorite clown fish pictures

Pretty Coral, can you find the baby star fish?

Alex sleeping during our surface interval time. 

There were just so many fish everywhere.  I wish you could see their color in the pictures, it was amazing!

And we're swimming... look at all that coral. 

So amazing!

If you look closely, you will see Alex deep in the swim through. 

More pretty coral. 

I don't know what this is called but I called it dripping coral.  

so much color

There's Alex down in a canyon again.  

Below are lots of pictures of pretty coral.  The deeper shots look more greenish blue but there really was a lot of color.  

Some how the in my last post I forgot to mention that one of our dives was a wreck dive.  Below are a few pictures from that dive. 

Alex looking in side the ship

Alex helping our dive master with a rope... not sure what they were doing. 

cool fish

Star fish... can you tell I like these?  They were actually really colorful.

Alex with his star fish. 

Lettuce coral. 

Giant very mean looking sea cucumber

Christmas tree worms