OCEAN FIRST DIVER'S VISIT!

We were joined this week by PADI Course Director Sage Dalton from Oceans First Divers, Colorado, who bought along a keen group of divers intent on having a great time. Conditions weren't fantastic, as we've been having some northerly winds.  The boat rides were a little bumpy but nothing could wipe the smiles from everyones face. Underwater was the place to be where everything was much calmer.  Visibility ranged from 20 - 30 feet and bottom temperatures from 68 - 70' Fahrenheit. Sightings this week included a Hawksbill Turtle with several distinctive barnacles stuck to it's carapace; a huge Jewfish was seen resting on the sand tucked in behind a rock. Schools of Yellow Snapper, Panamic Porkfish and Burrito Grunts made for some great photo opportunities and of course snorkeling at the Sea Lion colony at Los Frailes on our surface interval is always good fun!
 

On Thursday we went to Cerro Verde for our first night dive of the year. What a chilled out dive!  Within minutes we spotted a Slipper Lobster and our flashlights brought out the deep purple colour on it's shell. We peered under a coral head following the the skinny body of a ribbon worm and were met with the head of a tiny Moray Eel staring back out at us. Tiny shrimp were glowing brightly, sea hares were coupled up on the rocks in the throes of passion. We found several Synaptic Cucumbers, their long bodies stretched out over the boulders, these are strange looking creatures! An octopus was squeezed under a rock, it's bulbous eyes warily focusing  on us. We turned our lights off and danced amidst the bioluminescence, and as we surfaced the moon and stars lit up the night sky.  What a great way to end the week!
 

Ken Dunlop from UW Explorers was diving with us all week, check out his blog of the week at http://uwexplorers.net/