Page 304 - Micronesia

Wall Diving and the Abyss

Wall Diving is not for the poorly trained or rusty diver. It does
not require unusual physical conditioning or special skill
development, but good diving fitness and mastery of basic
scuba skills are a must.

O ne of the thrills of div- quarters for tunicates, mol- the blue water behind you.
ing a wall is the marine lusks, crinoids, crabs and
life. The wall and the reef other invertebrates of all W all Diving is not for
atop it serve as a barrier sizes and shapes, plus, of the poorly trained
between deep, open ocean course, sponges and coral. or rusty diver. It does not
and the shallower, protected require unusual physical
water on the shoreward M any walls are so heav- conditioning or special skill
side. Pelagics often emerge ily blanketed with ma- development, but good div-
from the depths to feed rine life that you can spend ing fitness and mastery of
on the smaller fishes that an entire dive observing the basic scuba skills are a must.
inhabit shallower water. The tiny creatures that inhabit Excellent buoyancy control,
wall itself provides domain just a few square yards of astute depth, air supply and
for innumerable smaller the wall. However, don’t be- bottom time monitoring are
creatures. The honeycomb come so engrossed that you important.
of tiny cracks, crevices and forget to occasionally glance
holes that dot a wall provide over your shoulder to see
hiding places and living what might be passing by in