Dive Briefing Copyright © 2004 Craig "Monty" Sheppard and Michelle Gaut

- click to see photos -

August 14, 2004 - Anuha Island, Florida Islands (Dives 5,6,7)

Dive 5: Camera: Canon 1Ds, 16-35mm/2.8L, 2 x Ikelite DS-125

Spot #1 on the briefing board: Beautiful reef with lots of huge corals on it. We dropped in on a clump of black coral with three lionfish hunting in it. There were sea anemones with host clownfish nearly everywhere, and we were told that six of the seven species of anemonefish found in the Solomon Islands could be seen here (all except for the bonnet-head anemonefish). I think I saw just about all of them. Nearly all of the anemones here have shrimp living in them, and a few of the carpets I've encountered have had porcelain crabs in them as well. I went up into the shallows with Monty near the end of the dive and ended up spending about five minutes with an active cuttlefish. At one point, he had reef on one side and sand to the other, and half of him became dark and the other half a bright white; the line down the middle of his back was very clear.

Dives 6-7: Camera: Canon 1Ds, 100mm USM Macro, 2 x Ikelite DS-125

Dove a sandy slope area around spot #2 on the board. We were told that there were harlequin ghost pipefish here, but none of us found any. We did find some nice-looking nudibranchs, clownfish eggs (two clumps! one was just off of a nice anemone with bright pink/orange tips), glass fish, mantis shrimp (both spearers and smashers), and some shrimp that rushed out to clean your hand if offered. The clownfish here on the slope are really aggressive; as soon as they see you approaching they charge out and nip at your camera/hand. Bold little bastards! It was a great place to get some free-swimming clownfish portraits. Saw another cuttlefish. It was cute.