April 22nd - Warrnambool to Mt. Gambier

With the skies breaking into blue in patches we elected to back track to the Bay of Islands and the Bay of Martrys. Oh what a good decision!  The sun came out in earnest and we were treated to spectacular views with virtually no tourists in sight!  We got to go down on the beaches in between the spectacular lime stone formations.  It felt like you were in Narnia when they came back the second time.  I swear Asland was in the bush whispering to me!  We hung out in the By of Islands until about 11:45 then shot for Warrnambool for lunch. 

After lunch we headed to Tower Hill to see what typically Australian animals including emu and koala bears.  We walked and were rewarded with emu, little birds, and butterflies.

Traveling from Tower Hill to Mount Gambier is filled with green rolling hills, cows, sheep, wind turbines...it's very peaceful. It like I think Montana is...big skies and long distances.  Oddly, the ocean is just over the ridge. 

The light is beautiful today.  At 4 PM we left the ocean and headed into the hills toward Mount Gambier.  Sad to leave the ocean, but the adventure must continue.  

We've been trying to catch the parrots since we got here.  We've seen many blue and reds as well as green and reds.  Finally scored them!  Then 5 o'clock came...the golden hour and when all the nocturnal animals start coming out.  It's like being on an African safari. Kangaroos on the left, emus on the right!  Spot, spot, spot!

Dinner was divine!!!  Local cows, local farm, local wine - yahoo!

The milky way was bright and we shot it!

Emu

Enjoy! John & Cheri

Visiting Art & Megan Lindemanis - Eastport, Maine and beyond

We had been planning this specific trip for the past six months, but in truth we had been eyeing a trip to Machias Seal Island for many years.  Art and Megan has moved to Down East Maine and we had promised to visit.

As we headed north in a rain storm on a Friday night, we were praying the weather really would clear as promised on Saturday.  We arrived at the Riverside B&B around 10 PM to be greeted by Art and Megan!  It had been months since we had seen each other so we started to catch up with a glass of wine and the next thing we knew, it was 11:30.  The alarm was set for 5:10 AM and bed was calling!

We awoke to a brilliant, cloudless, sunny blue sky!  Yeah - for once the weather forecasters got it right!  After a yummy breakfast we were off to the docks in Cutler.  Machias Seal Island is 10 miles off the coast of Maine in very tricky seas.  The tide is often 14-15 feet and changes four times a day!  We loaded onto the boat in great anticipation of seeing Puffins!

We passed a light house at the edge of Cutler Harbor.

Before we knew it, we were approaching Machias Seal Island.  Unfortunately a low swell had started to be a problem.  the storm system from the previous day was now affecting the sea where we were trying to land a small skiff onto the island.  For a while it was looking like we would make due with watching the comedic puffins from the big boat.

After having seen only 20 birds in Scotland, we were truly amazed to see 100s of puffins, razorbills and other sea birds!

Cozumel Mexico - December 4, 2010 -Dalilia Mountains - Day 5 - Dive 7

We're diving again!  Yeah!  The only catch is hat we need to get ourselves down to the marina.  Ok...we'll bite....where's the marina?  All the way through town and before the hotel zone, you will find it. So, we loaded everything into our car and struck off.

Max depth of 75 Feet for about an hour

As we prepare to jump for the second to the last time, the sun breaks and the light pours into our beloved deep.  Check the air, check the weights, check the right hand release and go go go its time to dive!

Sploosh!  We're, a quick trio back to the boat to grab the cameras and we're on our way down!  Scan scan scan, no eagle rays in sight.  Down deeper we go.  Soon we are at the bottom and the hunt begins.  We see 3 HUGE bump headed Parrot Fish.

Another magical dive.  As I was enjoying the usual suspects, I noticed a sea urchin.  As I swim close to check it out I saw a flicker of white and black.  Could it be?  Ah indeed it was an adult drum fish!  These little drummers swim vigorously back and forth as they beat their drum.  He was lodged in between pink and orange coral which made a lovely backdrop for a video. 

There was a stunning gold cleaner shrimp on carpet anemone.  Cheri fiddled with the strobe until she got the perfectly lit shot she was craving. 

Enjoy!

Cheri & John

Cozumel Mexico - December 1, 2010 - El Cedral -Day 3 -Dive 6

Max depth of 55 Feet for about 70 minutes

This is a great site for seeing sharks and other big things.  Not us, we saw little things;little things that we rarely or had never seen before.  Jackpot!  Just what we came for!

There were gorgeous queen triggers who were curious and came to have their photo taken.

On this dive we got a shot of shrimp that we had never scene before. Anyone know what they are?  Cute for sure, but a name would be great!!

Enjoy!

Cheri & John

Cozumel Mexico - December 1, 2010 - Santa Rosa -Day 3 -Dive 5

Max depth of 77 Feet for about an hour

A scrawled cow fish greeted us as we descended to depth.  These are long fish with electric blue lines and black dots.  Their dorsel fins ripple as they zip along.  The stop light parrot fish of both the green as well as the red variety were abundant and eating the reef in big bites.  If you hold your breath and listen you can hear them crunching.  Mr. and Mrs White file fish were checking us out.  

And again the health and color of the reef raised a joy deep inside of us!  As we were swimming along we heard the calls of splendid toad fish - one of Cheri's favorite fish and certainly a Mexican special!  As far as we know they are mainly found in Cozumel.  With their purple and yellow they fit right in!

Cheri looked down and saw a juvenile spotted drum fish!  This was a rare find indeed and one that Cheri was thrilled with.  She even had the presence of mind to shoot images as well as video the little guy!  

You can see the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYWzGQMfY5g. 

She looked to her left and there was a carpet anemone.  These are usually homes to all kinds of invertebrates.  This one was no exception.  There was a spotted cleaner shrimp!  These little guys have so many 'hands' that for a long time I thought he was 2 shrimp!

Today the dive masters had guaranteed me a sea horse sighting.  So for lunch there was tuna fish in the shape of a sea horse!!

Enjoy!

Cheri & John

Cozumel Mexico - November 30, 2010 - La Francessa - Day 2 - Dive 4

Max depth of 70 Feet for about an hour

There were even more turtles!  Who could believe our luck?!  even though we weren't all that deep, there were gorgeous fans that were clearly very healthy and eating all that passed by them.

 

The anemones were abundant with little bubble shrimp playing hide and seek within the tentacles.  The yellowline arrowcrabs were hanging in sponges.

The angel fish were posing.

The schooling yellow fish were hiding in the coral troughs. 

 Even lobsters and crabs were out in the day time with the sun shining so bright; very unusual! 

 
Towards the end of the dive we saw a giant grouper laying on the bottom fast asleep.  Just as we were rising up to decompress at 15 ft, there were two puffer fish.

 Enjoy!

Cheri & John

Cozumel Mexico - November 30, 2010 - Palancar Caves - Day 2 - Dive 3

Max depth of 84 Feet for about an hour

It had been a long time since we had dove the swim throughs at Palancar Caves.   Even though the word caves is in the title, it's a misnomer.  This area is filled with coral pinnacles that have big gaps in them.  Advanced divers, who are good with their bouyency, can swim in and out of the gaps and often see a world rarely seen.  The insides of the tunnels are filled with a kaleidoscope of colorful corals; pinks, reds, greens, browns, oranges, and vivid yellows.  Big fish like to hide in them.  

Sometimes you can surprise a shark of a ray.

Eagle Ray!  Until you've seen one it is hard to describe the magic you feel when you do.  These are magnificent, shy creatures with 8 to 10 foot wing spans.  Their bellies are white, but their backs are black with hundreds of iridescent circles.  Their faces literally look like an eagle, hence their name.  As we came around one pinnacle there it was! When she saw us, she pulled up short and turned to retreat to the deep.  In those few seconds we all felt blessed.
 

Enjoy!

Cheri & John

Cozumel Mexico - November 29, 2010 - Day 1 Dive 2 - Dalila

Max depth of 60 Feet for about an hour

The sun was again high in the sky and the turtles were eating away.  For years we wanted to see turtles.  Invariably we'd get onto the boat only to hear that the other divers had seen them.  Well the turtle curse has now been broken for quite some time, but we had never seen turtles like these turtles!  Nearly everyone we saw was sitting on the seabed munching away with a flotilla of angel fish snacking on scraps.  They were nonplussed as we shot their image and then video taped them.

Enjoy!
Cheri & John