Page 128 - Micronesia
P. 128
hot Drop-off (nautilus Dive) - This is where Nautilus dives take T urtle Reef - Turtle Wall is the central part of a vertical wall
that runs along the whole length of Ngemelis Island. Turtles,
S place. The wall features soft corals, table corals, butterflyfish, turtles, turtle and more turtles TYou will see many turtles either
swimming, eating, sleeping and sometimes you can even see them
angelfish (including Watanabe’s angelfish), wrasses, grey reef, mating. Tellow and white Pyramid Butterflyfish, Square Anthias,
white tip, and black tip sharks, batfish, jacks, parrotfish, eagle Moorish Idols, Yellowtail Fusiliers and snappers are found all along
rays and octopus. The reef runs north to south, then turns toward the edge and top of the reef. Blueface, Regal, and Emperor Angel-
the open sea and stretches out from west to east forming a deep fish are also easily spotted.
plateau. There is a large variety of soft and hard corals. White Tip
Sharks, Gray Reef Sharks, Black Tip Sharks and turtles are regularly Y ellow Wall - General Information: Dive site is named Yellow
seen along the edge of the reef. Eagle Rays are also a common Wall after the golden yellow tube corals (Tubastraea faulkneri)
sight here. During the months of September through November, that cover the wall along this area of the reef. The reef wall has
Short Drop Off is a nursery for baby Gray Reef Sharks. Schools of number of crevices, arches and small caverns to explore during the
juvenile sharks 10 to12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) in length dive. Aside from the yellow tube corals the reef has an abundance
accompanied by an adult female, patrol the water at 90 to 120 feet of hard corals and colorful soft coralsSchools of jacks, snappers,
(30 to 40 m). The Chambered Nautilus is also known to live along Red-Toothed Triggerfish, Anthias and yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish
this reef. can be found along the edge of the reef. If the current is running
sharks, tuna and other large pelagic fish can be seen. The top of
S oft Coral Arch - Soft Coral Arch is a shallow archway between the reef abounds with Sweetlips, Emperors, wrasse, groupers and
two rock islands in relatively protected waters between closely eels. Keep alert for turtles; turtles like to eat the yellow tube cor-
spaced Rock Islands. The archway takes its name from its lining als.
of soft, prickly, purple and pink corals. It is popular as a shallow,
clear SCUBA site ideal for Open Water training dives, as a snorkel-
ling site for non-divers, or as a lunch-and-snorkelling site between
SCUBA dives.