Easter Island (Rapa Nui) Dive Pictures

[Patwa]

Hey!

I'm slowly getting back into the hobby after a good 5 years off. During that time i've been on some awesome dive trips......here are a few select shots from my recent trip to Easter Island. This trip was the first time using my SLR camera. I've still got a lot to learn about how to take the best shots (and even what lenses I need to use!), but I think I did alright, eh?

posing with a fake Moai (was sunk here for a scene in the movie "Rapa Nui")


was told this is an anchor from an old Spanish ghaleon


lots of the same coral (porites)




banana wrasse




trevally photobombing my shot


Easter Island butterflyfish feeding on an urchin


1000+ year-old porites lobata colony


teardrop butterflyfish

 

[Patwa]

the money shot - about $10000-$15000 or more dollars worth of rare fish here: Hotamatua pygmy angels and femininus Wrasses. I had to crop the heck out of my image to get this (shooting RAW and high megapixels ftw!)


me next to a porites colony


yellow pocillopora colony...one of only TWO colonies I saw on my dives (the other was a baby blue colour). Easter Island has LOTs of coral, but very, very low coral species diversity


Easter Island is located in some of the bluest waters (nutrient-poor) on the planet....makes for excellent visibility!


many more pics on my Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58353057@N07/sets/72157634752882333/

z

 

[fragbox]

sick photo man

 

[ace_92101]

What was the water temperature?

 

[Blue Ring Sting]

Wow! Absolutely stunning. I wanna make my way out there soon!

 

[Patwa]

What was the water temperature?

on the colder side....about 22-23ºC ...you need to wear a full wetsuit for sure

 

[ace_92101]

on the colder side....about 22-23ºC ...you need to wear a full wetsuit for sure

I knew the water was cooler, but your pics have more coral than I was expecting. Very nice pics.

 

[Patwa]

yep, I was stunned as well. I read a LOT about the Rap Nui reefs before my trip, but nothing prepared me for what I saw....it was just beautiful...lots of coral and lots of fish.

While the diversity in coral species is indeed extremely poor, there was a TON of coral all over the place. Even more so, some of these colonies were massive. Some porites lobata colonies were as big as a car

Conversely, the opposite side of the island has very few coral as it's a bit more turbulent and cold.

z

 

[snorvich]

Nice pictures! Especially love the "money shot" with all the anampses feminus.

 

[percula99]

You at it again Patwa? Glad to see you back. I have followed many of your dive threads. You always have great shots. You are living the life man.

 

[Patwa]

hahah ..thanks for the kind words...i've had a lot of time on my hands over the past 5 years!

next trip was supposed to be a return to Indo, East Timor and the Philippines, but my best mate just took a job in Beirut, so i'm contemplating meeting up with him in the near future for a dive excursion to the Red Sea AND Oman (can anyone say acan. maxima!?) haha

oh, woe is me

 

[ace_92101]

hahah ..thanks for the kind words...i've had a lot of time on my hands over the past 5 years!

next trip was supposed to be a return to Indo, East Timor and the Philippines, but my best mate just took a job in Beirut, so i'm contemplating meeting up with him in the near future for a dive excursion to the Red Sea AND Oman (can anyone say acan. maxima!?) haha

oh, woe is me

Sounds like it's going to be a great trip. I really enjoyed my trip to both Oman and Egypt. I'm sure there'll be some more great pictures!