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Banzai and Spotlight Cave Dives: May 30, 2009

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Our captain skillfully approaches the north end of the island.
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Our captain skillfully approaches the north end of the island.

captain

  • The Sun Rider is the largest dive boat I have ever been on. I believe that the total capacity is 36 passengers, along with all of their dive gear.
  • I didn't count to see how many were on this trip, but it was more folks than I have ever dived with before. Here you see Bob (nearest us) enjoying time on the top deck, with Saipan in the background.
  • Our captain skillfully approaches the north end of the island.
  • Side view of Suicide Cliffs.
  • Skimming over the Banzai Plateau. Rose in the lead, followed by Bob.
  • Whip coral in the foreground. Rose floating above. Various assorted other divers in the background.
  • Rose approaches one of our spectacular sea fans.
  • Stinging hydroid (probably Aglaophenia cupressina). This beautiful critter can inflict a painful sting. However, it is preyed upon by certain nudibranchs.
  • After descending to about 130 feet, where I really didn't get any good photos (yes, Rose, the shot of the Eagle ray was too blurred), we ascended back up to the top of the Plateau. At about 40 feet, there is a lot of life here. In the first clip, you'll see Bob swimming by. Then a clip of Rose in the distance. If you have not brought up videos on this site before, it sometimes take a bit of patience. If it stays blank for a minute or two, try closing the video window and pressing the play icon again. Also, video quality with my camera is quite poor, but hopefully enjoyable.
  • The Pacific Ocean makes for a pretty cool aquarium! Here you see (top) a Palette surgeonfish (Paracanthurus hepatus), next is a Reticulated dascyllus (Dascyllus reticulata), and immediately underneath that is the prize of this photo: Lemonpeel angelfish (Centropyge flavissma) are notoriously difficult to photograph. They just keep darting in and out of the coral, never giving more than a fraction of a second to snap the shot. Bottom right, you see a Spotbanded butterflyfish (Chaetodon punctatofasciatus).
  • And then there is Bob (Homo sapiens), probably wondering what the dickens I'm taking photos of. Notice also all the divers in the background.
  • And here is Bob, probably wondering WHEN I'm going to take the photo (I don't think I told him that I took some videos).
  • Untitled photo
  • A pair of Fourspot butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus) watching the divers return to the boat.
  • Hey! Another shot of a Lemonpeel angel! Looks like she is watching the alien beings return to the mother ship!
  • While my video capabilities are not great, this shot shows the profusion of life on this reef better than anything I can do with a still. Notice all the Palette surgeonfish swimming about. The clip ends with Bob on his safety stop.
  • Pull harder, Bob! I'm sure you can move that boat if you pull HARD enough!
  • After that previous shot, we boarded the Sun Rider, had an hour surface interval, changed our gear out, and then proceeded to the next dive. You see here Rose and Bob on their way to Spotlight Cave.
  • Bob in the Spotlight.
  • Rose in the Spotlight.
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