skippy Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Not sure if this is the right forum for this but hey - it is saltwater. Thought some of you may like to see some pics of the local fishies Leatherjacket Blue maomao school and again and again stingray same stingray sanddaggers wrasse and again - this guy followed us for most of the dive and even headbutted the camera damsel of sorts again unidentified fish - check out the dodgy looking back on him massive stingray lying on the bottom. This photo was taken from the boat in about 6m of water. He must have been a good 6ft across his wings - he was huge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Nice pics, Skippy. I especially like the second one with the dark school of fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land_lubber Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Crikey thats a big stingray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tee-em Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Nice pics . unidentified fish looks like Red Moki. Wonder if a spearo had a go at him many moons back. Which is naughty as they are way to easy so are left alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Yep tee-em's right, its a red moki, very tasty fish, and too easy to spear. You need a bigger skimmer, Skippy, too much algae!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy Posted February 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 You need a bigger skimmer, Skippy, too much algae!!!!!! Yeah but the tank is pretty heavily loaded - at least 1000 blue maomao and lots of big rays - but you should see my water movement . Didn't get any pics of the snapper either - too many of the buggers and plenty well over 10lb. Cheeky as too, weren't scared at all. Came up to the boat and one of the buggers bit me when I was feeding them some bread. Fortunately one of the smaller ones so I still have my fingers. Also some of the kina are massive. Saw one that was about the size of a soccer ball - be a meal on its own if you are into eating kina (not this lad though ) Doesn't Ma Nature have a kick-ass aquarium. Obviously cost is not a consideration for her. Northland is awesome for this sort of stuff. Gee I'm glad I live up here :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwan Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Is this the place that's real close to Goat Island? We went snorkelling there for a bio trip last year and it was awesome. If my memory serves, that little damsel is called a Spottyback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy Posted February 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Is this the place that's real close to Goat Island? No, that is also a marine reserve and is a superb place to snorkel around in. Goat Island is down by Leigh/Warkworth. Poor Knights Islands is about 25 nautical miles of the coast of Tutukaka which is just north of Whangarei, also a marine reserve. The Knights is reputed to be one of the top 10 dive sites in the world (according to Jacques Cousteau (Mr Aqualung himself)) and some of the diving there is simply amazing. We only dived one site on the weekend called Blue Maomao Arch - hence the pics of heaps of Blue maomao. It is quite spectacular as it can be wall to wall fish. The arch sticks out of the water and is about 5m wide, going to about 12 or so metres below the surface. Last time I dived it a few years ago you literally swam into the school of maomao. They opened up in front and closed in behind you so if you turned around it was just fish everywhere- just thousands of them. Quite spectular stuff and also for snorkelling if you can get out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 yep, dived alot, fiji, and aussie, but my most spectacular day diving by far was at the poor knights, 200 feet vis, unbelievable life and colour, stunning arches and caves - almost makes me want to take it up again and the damsel is called a 2 spot demoiselle (Chromis dispilusdam). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 Sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 i love Poor knights diving.... those schools of blue MM are amazing to dive with and the walls are covered in life. vis did not look that great? its often better in winter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Nah the vis was not too flash at the Arch. It was unreal in other parts of the islands though - unfortunately we only did one dive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 have had 4m to 25m viz at PN i really really like winter diving there. where are you based? i am thinking of taking my boat out there for a weekend shakedown cruise in about 2 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 both little barrier and great barrier have supperb diving as well not quite the same colours at lt barrier but crays ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy Posted February 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 where are you based? I live up in Kerikeri, Bay of Islands. Diving up here is pretty cool. We spent a long weekend in Tutukaka and did a day trip to the Knights not quite the same colours at lt barrier but crays ! I'm pretty sure there is plenty of crays at the Knights but you may get in a bit of trouble if you help yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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