Have you been to the Reefs?

[jeffww]

I’ve been to molokini, several places in oahu and maui. One thing I noticed is that the water isn’t the color of windex.

 

[Nick Steele]

Growing up in South Florida I’ve been to plenty of reefs. Sadly didn’t get into diving/snorkeling until my 20’s but I’ve still seen plenty of cool things.

Coolest thing in my mind was snorkeling looking for lobsters on a low via day (10ft or less) I had a huge 12+ft manta ray swim right up to me (scared me at first!) and I followed it around for a good 20 minutes just watching it.

I’ve also had a nurse shark eat a bag full of 4 lobsters one year. Dang shark came from 20’ below and just chomped on my bag then went right back down.

Here’s a few pics.
I always get small fish to hang around me somehow.

Reef squid

Pufferfish sleeping in sponge
Love this picture

Couple shrimp living in this nem
If you look close you can see a few lobster under this rock

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Growing up in South Florida I’ve been to plenty of reefs. Sadly didn’t get into diving/snorkeling until my 20’s but I’ve still seen plenty of cool things.

Coolest thing in my mind was snorkeling looking for lobsters on a low via day (10ft or less) I had a huge 12+ft manta ray swim right up to me (scared me at first!) and I followed it around for a good 20 minutes just watching it.

I’ve also had a nurse shark eat a bag full of 4 lobsters one year. Dang shark came from 20’ below and just chomped on my bag then went right back down.

Here’s a few pics.
I always get small fish to hang around me somehow.

Reef squid

Pufferfish sleeping in sponge
Love this picture

Couple shrimp living in this nem
If you look close you can see a few lobster under this rock

Very pretty

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

.

 

[Starganderfish]

Scuba diving in Fiji, Vanuatu and on the Great Barrier Reef. Any time we go on a holiday somewhere tropical I try and get at least one dive in.
Such a massive contrast to diving somewhere like Sydney harbour and Aussie beaches where there's no reef or coral.

 

[Lineatus]

Belize and Sulawesi for me. North East Sulawesi was heavenly, chock full of healthy staghorns growing on jagged volcanic rock, surrounded by a black sand back drop. I was also able to dive the Lembeh Strait which was my bucket list dive site and definitely lives up to the hype. Seeing a flamboyant cuttlefish in the wild is something I’ll never forget. Though the clownfish there are massive ***** and will dive bomb anything and anyone in a ten metre radius.

Belize’s soft coral reefs are less appealing to me but the larger pelagic animals and healthy corals certainly made up for it. Watching spotted eagle rays hunt (?) in the shallows 10 feet from my patio with a coffee every morning was very special. Highly recommend.

 

[Freenow54]

Not a full reef. I went to Cancun when I was young with my family and we went snorkeling in a beautiful lagoon. It was kind of reefish. It was a totally different world under the water. Previous to that I have only been to beaches in Florida and up here in Canada.

Snorkeling is ok, but cant compare to diving. Also reef diving will ruin you for here

 

[Karen00]

Snorkeling is ok, but cant compare to diving. Also reef diving will ruin you for here

I'm already ruined from snorkeling in Mexico. LOL. I can only imagine what diving would be like. Living by a lake does seem a little bland.

 

[malacoda]

I was fortunate to take a trip to the Maldives in 2017, where I got my scuba and open water diver certifications while doing both lagoon dives and reef wall dives.
Have also done a few dives in Puerto Rico, St Lucia, and St. John's.
Covid lockdown cancelled a Middle Eastern trip that was going to include a dive along the reef at Sharm el-Sheikh in the Red Sea.
Now that things are opening up and getting back to somewhat normal, my wife and I have a 2-week trip to Tahiti booked for spring 2023 that will include several dives. Can't wait!

 

[areefer01]

Too many warm water divers here - come visit us in Northern California for some diving in the cold waters of Monterey

Edit: I am just teasing about the warm waters, well maybe not, ok, just a little

 

[Freenow54]

I'm already ruined from snorkeling in Mexico. LOL. I can only imagine what diving would be like. Living by a lake does seem a little bland.

Literally black and white as to color

 

[piranhaman00]

I love lake diving!

I was just at looe key myself! Had a nurse shark eat speared lionfish