Robert McCusker tagged posts

Dropped on to wall at around 20m, finned left shoulder in medium current. Best display of hard and soft corals seen so far in Pemba. School of silver trevalley and large dark snappers (?) in the blue.

Large spotted grouper, and sightings of two separate green turtles, one larger than the other. Came across a large coral ‘graveyadr, a mound of dead coral pieces swept up and deposited by the currents. An ideal spot to see turtles feeding on thecoral and they are regularly spotted (and sadly sometimes illegally hunted) here. Single large batfish with cleaner wrasse coming across the top of the reef.

Large sandy bottomed ‘valley’ on the top of the reef around 12m, and saw some lionfish, banded shrimp, mantis shrimp, racoon butterflyfish an tiny juvenile dorys in the anemones. A beautiful dive!

Tender from Karibu Sama, Pemba Afloat yacht. Slow descent to arch at 32m. Entrance is normally guarded by ‘St Peter’, a large grouper (?), but he was having the morning off. Swim through the arch, full of small fish, snappers, etc. Really niceswim through.

Left at arch exit, wall with lare gorgonia – pretty stunning sight! Spanis Dancer egg rose (bit no dancer), large silver trevallys, small scorpion fish, and schools of fusiliers. Finished dive at the top of reef in garden of hard corals and smoking (spawning) sponges.

A superbly pleasand dive.

Dive from Pemba Afloat yacht tender, in Ngao Gap on the west coast of Pemba. Backward entry and gentle fin towards reefs on the shore line. Dive was mostly around 8 metres, looking for Spanish Dancers, having previously seen lots of Dancer egg roses.

Small coral outcrops in the sandy bottom, with large red nudibranch (approx 8 inches long) but no Spanish dancers! Moray with yellow head and black and white mottled body. Half-banded sea snake, some lion fish and rabbit fish. Lots of shrimps and bioluminescence – a very pleasant dive.

Dropped straight on to reef at 26m, hilly terrain, initially with some hard corals, but then large tracts of reef devastated by dynamite fishing. Heard one explosion in distance during dive.

One large crocodile fish lying in sand, swam a few feet then resettled in sand.

Came across a number of weighted fish traps with some sad specimens of small pudder fish an banner fish inside. One largish midnight cowrie near end of dive as current started to pick up.

A sad dive, given the extent of reef damage. Dynamite fishing now illegal here, but obviously still going on, and no sign on this site of any coral regeneration.

Small Island ti the NE corner of Bida Nok. Small catastrophe with leaking camera housing soon after entry.Lovely hard & soft coral and anemone gardens. Shades of finding Nemo, with a number of clownfish in the anemones.

Large (10cm) yellow seahorse hiding in the wall. Large scorpion fish nestling in the top of a barrel sponge. Free swimming porcupine fish and a lovely large nudibranch, phyllidia variosa.

A thoroughly lovely dive.

Second snorkell, this time from the beach, as a prelude to dinner and drinks. A whole host of marine life to see, icluding for baby white tip sharks.

Snorkelled from the water bungalow. Small shoals of butterfly fish visible at edge of reef, lots of colourful coral, even saw a couple of divers doing the house reef.

Dived into light current down to 22.5m. Missed most of the first sandy bay, 4-5 minute fin to second major bay. Lots of new coral and large biodiversity. Cleaner shrimp doing dental work on small wrasse. Small coral avalanche during latter part of dive. Lots of excellent mushroom structure coral formation. Porcupine fish hiding under coral. Loggerhead turtle seriously foraging in reef. Lots of glass fish, sweetlips etc.Used point & click, but is only approx.

Down to 22m in light, gentle current, right shoulder on steeply sloping reef wall with good, if small, coral cover. Angela spotted three morays, I spotted three lion fish (Possibly two ragged finned fire fish). One nudibrancg, black/white/yellow. Lots of blue-velvet triggerfish, two clown triggerfish, pair of two-tone dartfish. lots of moorish idols.

Nice dive. Have used point & click, great tool, but is only approx.

Second visit to nice wall reef with overhangs. Down to 20m, after 5 minute fin into large overhanh with swimthrough out at top corner. Back to overhang to let Angela point out one (of two) scorpion leaf fish. Stunning!How does anyone ever spot these beauties? Lots of small reef fish ancoral and gorgonia. Small Moray, group of oriental sweetlips around pretty coral block at 7m Trumetfish, two-tone dartfish, clown trigger fish. Have used the point & Click for location, but is only approx.