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These pics were previously in the Fiji section but we hope to expand upon the subject in the future. It also allows us to share more of our hundreds of dive pictures without boring readers who just want a travel narrative. Fishy Fun We are not especially good fishingpersons. However, the western Pacific is so bountiful that we're successful in spite of ourselves.
Here's a major tuna and her yellowfin, as well as a yahoo with his wahoo.
The oldy-mon and the sea, along with a biggun. We mostly have used a hand-line and troll while sailing from one island to another. Last year we could troll for 1,000 miles and not catch a fish. In Fiji we catch at least one every trip. We added the rod thinking it would make things easier - it doesn't. The first behemoth we caught took all the line off the reel then snapped the 80 lb line like it was dental floss. We got better with setting the drag but found it really does take some work to haul them in. The Mahi-mahi is an especially feisty adversary; the rod scene above was not staged. The old guy holding the reel had to labor at least 30 minutes while the fish valiantly fought above and below the water. He be glad he's not having more kids, i.e. a fighting chair now seems like a practical addition.
Underwater Wonders Fiji
A bouquet of Blue Chromis on coral.
In the shot above we have a stonefish, the most poisonous fish in the sea. If you step on one you might live an hour or so. Can you see it?
Vera swore there was no fish there. The intrepid captain only knew it was there because he saw it move. You can see how people could step on one without ever seeing it. The venom is in the dorsal fin.
A giant clam; they've become very rare.
Soft coral.
Diving babe with cushion star.
It's a very rotund starfish.
Here the admiral holds a Sea Slug, aka Sea Cucumber, aka Beche de Mer. These critters were a major reason Europeans started coming to Fiji. In the old days they were prized as an aphrodisiac by the Chinese. They are echinoderms, i.e. they are related to starfish.
Moorish Idols flee the photographer amidst soft corals.
School's Out.
Guys can act stupid anywhere. This one's trying to swing on the tire, but the composition never worked out.
Remoras normally attach themselves to sharks but this little guy likes Vera's leg. She was glad to be wearing a wetsuit.
Here's a riot of soft and hard coral.
A lobster sticks out his nervous white feelers, fearing butter sauce in his future. Vanuatu
These are the encrusted remains of the ship engines off Sakau Island.
Hiding in the fuel tank of the ship are a couple of highly-poisonous Turkey or Lion Fish. The feathery spines are loaded with venom.
This picture is rather poor but it shows a Crown of Thorns starfish in action, eating coral. The spines are nasty. This critter is has been blamed for major damage in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. SS President Coolidge The following are shots from the wreck of the troopship that was sunk by a mine in Segond Channel on the island of Santo.
This is what you first see at about 60'. The pic does not convey the size of this former luxury liner, which was about 700' long. The ship is lying on its side, deck to the right. The lines coming off are to guide divers.
This is a rack filled with 3" shells for the deck gun.
Aquahub looking through the windows of the bridge.
Toilet bowls in need of attention.
A coral-encrusted typewriter. Aquahub made 2 dives on the Coolidge, which is a deep wreck, much being over 100'. As a result, the camera housing leaked and he had to forego any shots from the second dive, which included visits to the "Lady" and tours of the cargo holds, still filled with jeeps and howitzers. If your interest is more in Japanese wrecks, please see our Wrecks of Truk Lagoon page.
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