Fiji Pictures
- Thread starter scotter
- Start date
Thanks Mr. Evo and scubajim. I can appreciate your perspective, scubajim, as we are being bombarded with doomsday scenarios (global warming, acidification, etc.). The coral reefs in Fiji are, in general, healthy. And there are thousands, upon thousands of miles of still unexplored pristine reef (the Great Reef on the north shore of Vanua Levu is a prime example) with millions upon millions of healthy coral colonies everywhere. I am not saying that all the reefs in Fiji look like this, because they don't (there are areas of storm damage, or siltation damage) and Fiji did experience a coral bleaching event a few years past. However, the reefs recover(ed).
Every time I jump into Fiji's waters, I'm astounded by the coral reefs. Every dive, I find acres upon acres of the very corals we aquarists are paying BIG MONEY to acquire: vivid blue and purple torts/milleporas, etc. . . . I actually become non-chalant about it: "Oh yea, there's another one." The only thing rare in Fiji are clams (the locals love to eat them) and big fish (excessive fishing). If you're looking for clams and big fish, go elsewhere. Otherwise, prepare to jump into a world where chromis and anthias are so thick in the water column, it's like pea soup.
Every time I jump into Fiji's waters, I'm astounded by the coral reefs. Every dive, I find acres upon acres of the very corals we aquarists are paying BIG MONEY to acquire: vivid blue and purple torts/milleporas, etc. . . . I actually become non-chalant about it: "Oh yea, there's another one." The only thing rare in Fiji are clams (the locals love to eat them) and big fish (excessive fishing). If you're looking for clams and big fish, go elsewhere. Otherwise, prepare to jump into a world where chromis and anthias are so thick in the water column, it's like pea soup.
jollyballs
New member
Those are some awesome pics. I have always wanted to go there. Now this makes me want to book a vacation there now!!! I am not a certified diver so would I see a lot of this stuff if I snorkeled?
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae33/ScotterP/Fiji 2009/P6130102.jpg what is this lol is a porites but whats the blue my dads trying to tell me thats a clam lol- maybey a scalop of some mysterous kind lol?
Pnoytoitz: Thank you. I imagine the Philippines to be quite spectacular. It's on my list.
TL Parker: Thank you. You and your wife will enjoy Fiji greatly. The resorts in Fiji are made for anniversaries and honeymoons. There are a lot of "couples" activities, like lobster and champagne for 2 on secluded beaches. Actually, almost all the beaches are secluded in Fiji. There's very little development.
Jollyballs: Thank you as well. Yes, you can see a lot of what I photographed from the surface snorkeling. Most of what I photographed was between 10 and 30 feet. The first underwater picture in this series was in fact taken from the surface just as I was deflating my bcd (diving floatation device). If you are content with this perspective and intimacy with the reef, then snorkeling will do you well. There are also reefs that are much closer to the surface, they just don't happen to be close to good diving spots. The differing blue hues (that make the pictures seem like they are taken at depth) are a result of overcast skies. It rained a lot while I was there (bad luck).
TL Parker: Thank you. You and your wife will enjoy Fiji greatly. The resorts in Fiji are made for anniversaries and honeymoons. There are a lot of "couples" activities, like lobster and champagne for 2 on secluded beaches. Actually, almost all the beaches are secluded in Fiji. There's very little development.
Jollyballs: Thank you as well. Yes, you can see a lot of what I photographed from the surface snorkeling. Most of what I photographed was between 10 and 30 feet. The first underwater picture in this series was in fact taken from the surface just as I was deflating my bcd (diving floatation device). If you are content with this perspective and intimacy with the reef, then snorkeling will do you well. There are also reefs that are much closer to the surface, they just don't happen to be close to good diving spots. The differing blue hues (that make the pictures seem like they are taken at depth) are a result of overcast skies. It rained a lot while I was there (bad luck).
John 9009: Yes, your dad is right. It is a burrowing clam embedded in yellow/brown porites. The porites coral takes the form of large, softly mounding masses, with Christmas tree worms and clams showering the surface. It's really quite stunning. These are about the only clams you see in Fiji (besides the Crocea also pictured) - because they're impossible to dislodge. Good guess!
Plan>B
New member
OK... thats it, I'm getting cert. I can't pass that up when I get there. What exact area is that Scotter? Great photos pls post more if you have them.
Oh... what type of fish is tucked in the coral with that peak(?)
Oh... what type of fish is tucked in the coral with that peak(?)
Bula Plan>B,
The fish is an intermediate phase bird wrasse. An intermediate phase (IP) is either a sexually mature female or an immature but sexually active male. Interesting, eh? Source: Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific, by Gerald Allen et al. This is one of those "Don't leave home without it" books.
If you log onto Google Earth, the picture with the bird wrasse was taken at the following coordinates:
16 degrees 43' 36.80" S 179 degrees 46' 02.16 W
I'll try submitting more pictures and video this weekend... when I have significant time.
Cheers,
Scott
The fish is an intermediate phase bird wrasse. An intermediate phase (IP) is either a sexually mature female or an immature but sexually active male. Interesting, eh? Source: Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific, by Gerald Allen et al. This is one of those "Don't leave home without it" books.
If you log onto Google Earth, the picture with the bird wrasse was taken at the following coordinates:
16 degrees 43' 36.80" S 179 degrees 46' 02.16 W
I'll try submitting more pictures and video this weekend... when I have significant time.
Cheers,
Scott
Plan>B
New member
Pinned...... Thanks
mcliffy2
New member
Awesome pictures! Makes me want to get to Fiji asap.
One item to be aware of is that the absence of big fish is bad news for corals as well, everything interconnected. Check out this Nat Geo article for info: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/07/kingman-reef/warne-text
Here is an excerpt:
Dear McLiffy2,
Thank you and thank you for the beautiful shallow reef picture. The absence of big fish is a problem the Fijians recognize. They've started setting up marine reserves, but many villages are reluctant to trade-in their rights to fish a reef in exchange for (hoped) tourist dollars - especially since most tourists visit only 2 areas in Fiji (the Coral Coast and the Mamanucas). With 360+ islands, there's a lot of non-tourist Fiji.
The sole source of protein for rural Melanesian Fijians is fish; chicken is too expensive and beef (grown in Australia) is way too expensive. They survive by their own labor, which consists of gardening/weeding, picking fruit, and fishing. Luckily, this takes but a few hours a day - so the rest of the day can be devoted to rugby, soccer (football), and kava.
One of the best marine reserves in Fiji is the reef complex around Namenalala Island. Besides the masses of boobies and terns that fly around as you prepare to dive (they roost on Namenalala), you'll find huge schools of barracuda and jacks/trevally at the dive site "Grand Central". There are also huge school of jacks/trevally at the bull shark/tiger shark dive experience (also a marine reserve) in south Viti Levu.
The Kingman atoll you reference is truly an anomaly (75% predators, 25% unseen and scared small fish). I think it'd be a hoot to dive the place (especially with the massive clam population), if it was reachable, but I'd miss seeing all the small fish. Perhaps a happy medium....
Thanks for your thoughts and insight.
Scott
Thank you and thank you for the beautiful shallow reef picture. The absence of big fish is a problem the Fijians recognize. They've started setting up marine reserves, but many villages are reluctant to trade-in their rights to fish a reef in exchange for (hoped) tourist dollars - especially since most tourists visit only 2 areas in Fiji (the Coral Coast and the Mamanucas). With 360+ islands, there's a lot of non-tourist Fiji.
The sole source of protein for rural Melanesian Fijians is fish; chicken is too expensive and beef (grown in Australia) is way too expensive. They survive by their own labor, which consists of gardening/weeding, picking fruit, and fishing. Luckily, this takes but a few hours a day - so the rest of the day can be devoted to rugby, soccer (football), and kava.
One of the best marine reserves in Fiji is the reef complex around Namenalala Island. Besides the masses of boobies and terns that fly around as you prepare to dive (they roost on Namenalala), you'll find huge schools of barracuda and jacks/trevally at the dive site "Grand Central". There are also huge school of jacks/trevally at the bull shark/tiger shark dive experience (also a marine reserve) in south Viti Levu.
The Kingman atoll you reference is truly an anomaly (75% predators, 25% unseen and scared small fish). I think it'd be a hoot to dive the place (especially with the massive clam population), if it was reachable, but I'd miss seeing all the small fish. Perhaps a happy medium....
Thanks for your thoughts and insight.
Scott
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