That Turtle Attacked ME! aka Lighthouse Wall and Quebrada Dives
Sleep, eat, dive, repeat. Switching island chains, we puttered over to Lighthouse Reef early in the morning. I’m not yet sure why it is called Lighthouse as I certainly haven’t seen one on the chain of islands. A few of the islands look to be pretty large and mostly uninhabited. There's a large colony of cormorants, red boobies and pelicans hanging out on the shoals and in the trees. There may also be frigate birds, but it's hard to be precise from way out past the sandy shoal on the edge of the reef.
With a dive briefing completed, it was into the pool. And by pool, I mean ocean. The first sire of the day was Lighthouse Wall, which as its name implies, is a wall dive. So we start by descending under the boat, then cruising over to the wall edge and down to about 20 metres (60-70 feet) before slowly coming back up the wall, over the reef and back to the boat among the reef edge and sand channels. Time to spot some sea life!
Two little sharpnosed puffers circling each other
Bye Gordon Grouper! We humans have to get going before we’re out of air.
Conch flipped on its side
White spotted hermit crab
Flame tounge cowrie
After Erin and I turned around to make our way back to the boat, I was just cruising along shining my light around when I felt something close to my right side. Turning my light, I saw a green turtle less than a foot away from me. Despite my surprise, I tried snapping a few photos. Unfortunately, either my flashlight or dive light seemed to startle and confuse the turtle who zipped off, zagged around and headed back straight for me! He bumped right into my stomach and I thought for sure he was going to bite me with his sharp beak. I've seen a turtle bite an aquarium diver before and have been warned that they're one of the worst bites (and biggest pests) in the ocean. So I figured that this is how I die. Eviscerated by a startled turtle.
Fortunately, he seemed just as scared as I was and wildly took off in the opposite direction. Rattled but not deterred, we kept ambling back to the boat spotting a few more critters along the way. For the remainder of the dive, I kept looking over my shoulder for the Chelonioidea attacker assuming he'd come to finish the job...
Red striped hermit crab
The turtle did not return that night to finish our flashlight fight on the reef floor. But I'm sure he's still out there, plotting and pumping iron for next time.
With a dive briefing completed, it was into the pool. And by pool, I mean ocean. The first sire of the day was Lighthouse Wall, which as its name implies, is a wall dive. So we start by descending under the boat, then cruising over to the wall edge and down to about 20 metres (60-70 feet) before slowly coming back up the wall, over the reef and back to the boat among the reef edge and sand channels. Time to spot some sea life!
Two little sharpnosed puffers circling each other
A slender filefish hiding in the soft leaves of this sea plant. It is about the size of a thumbnail and was tricky to spot, so I'm pretty proud of finding a couple of these little guys.
A big and VERY friendly brown grouper. He came right up to me and brushed his face along my face. Then he hung out with us for quite some time looking to have his sides and fins scratched. Which officially we did not because it’s a marine park. But I won't tell if you won't...
Bye Gordon Grouper! We humans have to get going before we’re out of air.
Southern stingray
White spotted hermit
Christmas tree worms. Usually they shoot back down their shafts the second you look at them. Or they feel any sort of change in the current.
Red lionfish
Golden coral shrimp and brittle stars. The Golden coral shrimp are uncommon and hard to spot. Lucky for us, we check just about every sponge we swim by.
Pederson cleaner shrimp
Brittle stars
Arrow goby
Arrow crab
Fire worm - do not touch or you’ll get a nasty sting
Peacock flounder, watch him scuttling about below.
Conch flipped on its side
The conch’s inhabitant. Well, just his eyeball and angry bubbles...
After a full morning and diving, we changed venues, heading over to Quebrada for the afternoon and night dives.
Banded coral shrimp
Painted turnicate
Tiny little blenny just poking its head out of the rock. Can you spot it?
Another bristled and stinging fireworm
A tiny little yellow barfin blenny also hiding in the rock. It has cool leaflike horns atop its teeny head!
We enjoyed another delicious dinner before we started the dubious task of putting on our cold, wet gear in preparation for our night dive. That never gets more pleasant. In the name of beer (and nasty Sea Wasp stings), our parents sat this dive out. But Erin and I carried on in the dark. After a few of the usual suspects, I had an unusual encounter. Read on for the haunting tale!
We enjoyed another delicious dinner before we started the dubious task of putting on our cold, wet gear in preparation for our night dive. That never gets more pleasant. In the name of beer (and nasty Sea Wasp stings), our parents sat this dive out. But Erin and I carried on in the dark. After a few of the usual suspects, I had an unusual encounter. Read on for the haunting tale!
White spotted hermit crab
Coral crab
Star urchin
Sleeping parrotfish
Spotted moray
Flame tounge cowrie
Long-spiked urchin
Christmas tree worms
White spotted hermit crab
Look closely in the two photos below and you can see a special little red night shrimp in the coral.
After Erin and I turned around to make our way back to the boat, I was just cruising along shining my light around when I felt something close to my right side. Turning my light, I saw a green turtle less than a foot away from me. Despite my surprise, I tried snapping a few photos. Unfortunately, either my flashlight or dive light seemed to startle and confuse the turtle who zipped off, zagged around and headed back straight for me! He bumped right into my stomach and I thought for sure he was going to bite me with his sharp beak. I've seen a turtle bite an aquarium diver before and have been warned that they're one of the worst bites (and biggest pests) in the ocean. So I figured that this is how I die. Eviscerated by a startled turtle.
Fortunately, he seemed just as scared as I was and wildly took off in the opposite direction. Rattled but not deterred, we kept ambling back to the boat spotting a few more critters along the way. For the remainder of the dive, I kept looking over my shoulder for the Chelonioidea attacker assuming he'd come to finish the job...
Red striped hermit crab
Including this hermit crab crawling nearly out of its shell. Nudist!
The turtle did not return that night to finish our flashlight fight on the reef floor. But I'm sure he's still out there, plotting and pumping iron for next time.
And with that, the sun sets on another day on the open ocean.
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