Frogfish

Diving again today and luckily, felt heaps better than yesterday when I woke up. We had an extra shorty each to wear underneath our wetsuits for a little more warmth in the chilly water temperatures. And, the sun was out.. What a difference!

Two great dives despite the visibility not being fantastic. I had a strange episode as I tried to descend the first time, being unable to catch breath. It was almost like a panic attack might feel but without the panic! I'm wondering if it was the extra clobber around my neck and the cold water not having got round the inside of my suit so my breathing was a little shocked. Anyway, I kept my cool and on the fourth attempt at focusing on breathing out, I got under and was fine. I was anticipating the same thing on the second dive, but nothing. Weird.

We were over the moon to find a well camouflaged frog fish lurking in between some coral. We both were looking for something small on the chunk of coral but it turned out he was the chunk of coral! They choose the colour of their outfit once they've decided where to live and he'd dreamed up a perfectly coloured and patterned suit.  They then barely move, fishing with a lure. Although it was an awkward angle and I've chopped his froggy fin off, I'm sure it'll have to be him. It's only the second one we've ever seen and the first adult. He was about the size of your head compared to the baby one last year which was no bigger than a small thumb. (Update... The benefit of back blipping and hindsight! Perhaps then, the not to be messed with, scorpion fish)

There was a family of cuttlefish on the second dive too, a few scorpion fish and some pretty little nudibranchs. In the sunny water, the coral seemed prettier and it was easier to relax into appreciating it with less shivering going on.

By the time we'd walked back to our hotel in the midday sun, we were ready for a drink and lunch. It was our fave coffee shop with crab noodle soup... The perfect tonic for post-dive recuperation.

As is sitting on a sunbed in the shade for the afternoon.


For my dive log: 

Dive 1: Madonna Rock (again but a varied route)
20.2m
43mins
7kg (extra shorty)

Dive 2: Mama Hanh
14.2m
42mins
7kg