Page 159 - Melanesia
P. 159

S teve’s Corner - This dive site reveals a hug variety of soft corals   barracuda, tuna and sea turtles. Sea Turtles often cruise the wall
     feeding in the current. Turn the corner and come up shallow        that leads to Tavoro Cave, where you will find some excellent swim
to enjoy a large archway swim through guarded by the resident           throughs and amazing opportunities for photography. Cracks
anemone fish.                                                           and gullies filled with moray eels, lobsters, snapper and groupers
                                                                        invite exploration, while brilliant clouds of butterflyfish, damself-
T abua - Gently sloping hard coral bottome from 10 m (33 ft) to         ish anthias, and other reef fish contrast beautifully with the soft
      a wall that drops to 40 m (132 ft). Named for the shape of Vuna   coral and sponges that proliferate all along the upper walls. The
Reef, Tabua means Whale’s Tooth. Schools of barracuda, trevally,        cave is located at 27 meters, and offers an excellent vantage point
batfish, tuna and spanish mackerel. As you cruise the “wall” you        for peering out into the blue to observe barracuda, sharks, manta
will sometimes encounter whitetip reef sharks and blacktip reef         rays, tuna, jacks, and other pelagics passing. If you are lucky, you
sharks, grey reef sharks, bronze whalers and bull sharks. During        may even see pilot whales or whale sharks in the distance.
the season manta rays arrive. Lobsters inhabit small houses on
the wall. Tabua features a magnificent wall that drops all the way      V una Chutes - Sleeping whitetip reef sharks. An excellent
to forty meters, plus a shallow area with a gently sloped bottom              second or third dive of the day. 12m(40 ft) to 15 m (50 ft) in
of hard coral, where it is possible to encounter all manner of sea      depth. A beautiful white sandy path through Vuna Reef scattered
life. Nudibranchs and crayfish can be found taking shelter in small     with large bommies. Along with the sharks you will see bluespot-
grottoes along the wall, along with groupers and moray eels.            ted stingrays, sea turtles, moray eels, schools of barracuda, batfish
                                                                        and small colorful reef fish.
T avoro Cave - This deep wall dive has got it all. A spooky cave
      at 90ft/27m, swim throughs, and lots of life. The topography
of this site is striking: a sheer wall with plenty of gullies. Look up
into clouds of reef fish, look down to reef sharks and look out to
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