Page 114 - Melanesia

lue Coral Reef - Easy dive (6–16 meters) - Blue Coral reef is famous
B world wide amongst marine biologists. Up until November 2005
it was thought that Heliopora Caerulea, or blue coral, did not exist in
Fiji. It was discovered growing on this reef just five minutes away from
Tokoriki, and as yet remains the only discovered reef in Fiji where blue
coral grows. What gives this coral its name is not its exterior colour, but
its skeleton.
M agic Mushrooms - (Giant Clams Site) - Easy dive (12–20 meters)
Less than five minutes from Tokoriki, Magic Mushrooms is a small
coral platform reef that rises to within 6 meters of the surface. The shal-
lows have good hard corals, with the walls and ledges beautiful soft
corals. Large mushroom shaped massive corals give this site its unique
nature. The undercuts between these structures are home to a variety of
creatures: bluespotted stingrays, banded pipefish, sweetlips, semicircle
angelfish to name a few. This site boasts many endemic species of fish
and giant clams and is a fascinating macro dive site. Magic Mushrooms is
of scientific interest due to the PADI Project AWARE funded “planting” of
the endangered Tridacna Gigas giant clam. This site is unique to Fiji.
N orth Reef - Easy/Intermediate dive (6–20 meters) - Coral encrusted
pinnacles abutting a large shallow reef. Rich fish life and sea turtles. sand dwellers and a stunning coral reef plateau.
S hrimptastic - Intermediate dive (22 meters) - Sitting just off Tokoriki
Wall, this small pinnacle provides a unique dive for macro lovers.
Corallomorphs, glass fish, durban hingebeak shrimp, pipefish ghost
shrimps and white banded cleaner shrimp offer a manicure or teeth
clean. Where You can find the harlequin shrimps, you may also find a
moray eel or octopus being cleaned.
T okoriki Wall - Easy dive (12–18 meters) - Shallow and sheltered,
two minutes from Tokoriki and yet covered in coral and great fish
life. Dives start and end at the mooring making for easy descents and
ascents. When the tide runs in a brisk current creates a frenzy of activity
amongst the myriad reef fish that make this reef their home. Tokoriki
Wall is also an excellent night dive location. Whitetip reef sharks are of-
ten seen as well as crustaceans, octopus, feathery crinoids, nudibranchs,
pleurobranchs, sea pens and tube worms.
T okoriki South Wall - Easy dive (12 meters) - A shallow, sheltered easy
going dive for the beginner, or certified diver who wants something
simple. Dense coral cover blankets the shallow drop off, whilst out on
the sand are hundreds of coral outcrops teeming with small reef fish.
Look on the sand for sting rays, shells and holothurians and to the reef
for parrotfish, wrasses, blue green chromis and damselfish.
W ilson’s Point - Easy dive at a shallow (5 –14 meters) is great for
those just starting out, due to its close proximity to land, shal-
low depth and sheltered location; but also for more experienced divers
looking for something a bit different. Boasting cleaning stations, unusual