Super duper Hantu dive!

Pretty flatworm (Polyclad flatworm Pseudobiceros sapphirinus)

We had a great dive at Hantu this morning! With an amazing 2-3m vis, even at 12m it was very brightly lit and all of hantu's grandeur could be appreciated! This great vis is very encouraging and motivating, as the life that can be witnessed on days like this gives evidence to the health, beauty and value of our local reefs. Such beauty should not remain hidden behind low vis and silt - everyone should be able to see and be amazed by it!


Icon seastar! (Iconoclaster longimanus)

The western slope of the west patch reef was AMAZING! Excellent coral coverage that just went on and on into the deep and all through the slope. Jeff Greig, Hantu Blog volunteer divermaster commented, "It looks like one big salad!" Bubble coral and Foliaceous coral simply spread over the entire slope. What an awesome sight!


Magnificent anemone Heteractis magnifica on the NW slope

Towards the NW slope were sprouting sea fans/gorgonians, sea whips, and Magnificent anemones!


Mouth of a tubeworm (Sarbellastarte sp.)

With the great vis none of the animals escaped our sight! Red swimmer crabs were busy feeding off little animals carried in the current. Saw also saw Vermiculated angelfish, Copper banded angelfish, HUGE Sergent fish, several anemonefish and their damselfish cousins. Thankfully they weren't too aggressive and territorial today. Maybe it's because they could see us and didn't have to be shocked by our sudden appearances! There were also massive cushion stars and FAT sea slugs (Phyllidia sp.). Then there were butterfly and paradise whiptails - ALWAYS a pleasure to observe! They're so pretty!


Who says pretty things can't come in small packages! This nudi was about a centimeter long!

And then there were yellowstripe snappers (Lutjanus kasmira) and sand gobies and colourful wrasses and busy goatfish and emperor fish and MORE damsels and demoiselles! We also met up with some cardinalfish, groupers and a school of what I think are are sprats. AMAZING!


WOW! Were we happy to see this critter! Coral shrimp Dasycaris zanzibarica

On top of all the animals were the awesome corals of course. Huge serpent corals, hundreds years old! Patches of carpet anemones and their curious inhabitants! Mushroom coral, soft coral, sponges, ascidians...


Impressive serpent coral... Amazing...

Unfortunately, we're never allowed to forget the threats our natural marine heritage continues to face with continuing and progressive coastal development.



On our way back to West Coast Pier, this dredger and a barge were photographed at the mouth of the channel, about 5 minutes from shore. It is said the dredging works around the Southern Islands has reduced the depth of the seabed by some 5 meters. We are reminded of the urgency for sustainable development measures to be implemented in order to safeguard our islands...



I could go on forever naming all the amazing things we saw, but nothing can communicate the humility gained from engaging with Hantu's marine environment on your own. Do find the opportunity to come see it for yourself! Celebrate our natural heritage!