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Sunday - guests delighted to see turtles up close
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date: 16/11/2008
Author:Jess Howard
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CONDITIONS
Weather: HOT HOT HOT!!! | Air Temp: 28ºC | Wind: East/North Easterly 10 knots | Water Temp: 25ºC | Water Visibility: ~20m | Sea State: Picture perfect calm
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
Last night’s Aloha party encouraged staff and guests to “go Troppo” and get a little bit crazy. With games like coconut bowling, balloon relays and limbo, staff and guests were literally stretched to their limits.
With the sun rising at 4:55 this morning, it was already hot at 7am. A slight breeze was welcomed throughout the island, as most people jumped straight in the water for a swim. Flotsam Fossickers started out at Coral Gardens due to the high tide, and found the remnants of a turtle nest that unfortunately the waves had uncovered. Not to worry, the eggs that weren’t broken by the waves are still capable of emerging in about seven week’s time. Luckily there are more reported nests from last night, a bit higher on the beach. Also found on the flotsam fossick, was a fully inflated porcupine fish, washed up on the beach. At about 10 cm long, it was an impressive sight, though very spiky, so left alone.
Out on the Glassbottom boat today, guests were delighted to see the turtles up close and personal, with green turtles coming right in under the glass of the boat. A large dark shape, thought to be a Manta ray on the surface turned out to be a massive school of Big-eye trevally swimming near the top. A grey reef shark sent ripples of excitement through guests when he swam directly underneath them whilst they were snorkeling. Amazing visibility and temperature made both trips a pleasure for guests and staff.
Divers managed to complete an observation of both eastern and western sides of the island. In the morning the eastern side was drifted along, finding a leopard shark, lots of Blue Tang and big-eye Trevally. In the afternoon, the western side was discovered, with masses of turtles swimming along with the divers. What an adventure for divers today.
Island Discoverers rescued a Pincushion seastar today when it was found out of the water. Gently picking it up, they returned it to the lagoon. The tropic birds all looked on expectantly with their mouths open, panting to cool themselves down. Fish Feeding of course, gathered loads of fish and interested guests squealing with delight as the slippery fish swam through legs and twisted around feet.
Reefwalkers cooled off their feet in the lagoon searching for the variety of amazing creatures that can be located at low tide. Among the corals, blue linckia seastars twisted themselves in the coral crevices and a New Caledonia seastar lay spread out on the sandy floor. A juvenile starry Moray eel took a while to realize he was being observed as he picked algae off the top of a big boulder coral. Upon realizing his audience, he quickly slipped under the coral to find shelter in the gaps.
As the sun slips below the maze of clouds on the western side of Lady Elliot, pinks and purples and blues are filling the sky as dusk creeps into night and people are having lazy chats on the beach, snorkels as the sun sinks and champagne toasts to another perfect day in paradise.
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Green Turtle - Seair Guide Allan Jones
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