TRAVELSPECIAL
Soft corals at Daedalus
The stonefish buoyancy test
An overnight voyage took us to another remote reef , Daedalus , to the far south . We embarked on the traditional early morning search for hammerheads , but it wasn ’ t to be a lucky trip for sharks . Instead we explored the reef , where I found a shimmering school of glassy sweepers and was visited , briefly , by a big Napoleon wrasse .
The reef itself was in excellent health , with some beautiful trees of bright red and purple Dendrophyllia soft coral and plenty of bright red coral grouper patrolling their territories . We even found a lovely little octopus , the size of an orange , sitting next to a coral tree . Nature ’ s art - there ’ s nothing like it .
Another overnight steam took us north to Elphinstone , where once again the sharky hopefuls went steaming down to the deepest extent of their maximum operating depths in search of elusive elasmobranchs . Nick and I took the easy option of diving off the back of the boat and a pootle around the south plateau .
There are times when you realise you are horrifically spoiled . At first I was nonplussed at the lack of big fish . Then I realised I was 30 metres down on a beautiful coral pinnacle buzzing with basslets , grouper and a myriad hidden creatures . I could see far into the blue as the reef receded into the depths , while far
Anthias close-up
Hawksbill turtle at Elphinstone
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