Page 377 - Melanesia
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NEVILLE’S SURPRISE: Featuring a sheer wall OLLIES LOLLY: Near Hideaway Island this is a PINK PANTHER: Another dive on the Mele
that drops away to meet the ocean floor at large bommie starting at 9 meters. A range side of the bay with pretty corals and
a depth of 26 meters, Neville’s Surprise is of hard and soft corals and heaps of fish – plenty of fish. It is named after the pink
beautifully covered in a mantle of hard and large and small. Great for photography. anemone which houses several “Nemos”, a
soft coral in every color imaginable. Huge favorite for photographers. There are plenty
sponges are here too, rising up in dramatic PANGO WALL: Situated above the abyss, and of other colored anemones too! The reef
bouquets among sea whips and sea fans. featuring a gently sloping profile, Pango top sits at about 8 meters and a wall drops
You’ll find tropical reef species here in Wall is an extension of one of the most down to 90 meters plus. Diving along the
abundance, plus some larger fish, like bar- beautiful reefs ever discovered in Vanuatu. wall at about 25 meters, you can see morays
racuda, sharks, and the occasional tuna. As Located off Port Vila, just off Paanto Point, and crayfish but don’t forget to look out
this site is subject to some current and as the site features a garden of commonly en- into the blue for pelagics.
depths are nearly fathomless, Neville’s Sur- countered hard and soft coral, lush swathes
prise is suitable only for divers with plenty of anemones, and huge gorgonians, along TASMAN: The wreck is an old Qantas
of experience. with some magnificent mushroom corals. Sandringham flying boat that hit a reef on
Along the way, you’ll encounter colorful takeoff in 1951. The Tasman was salvaged
OASIS: A selection of very interesting ma- butterfly fish and angel fish, Moorish idols but later sunk during a cyclone. The wreck
rine life scattered among an area of sand and tangs, boxfish and porcupine fish, is in good condition and lies in about 40
and silt, like a small Oasis in a desert. Eve- along with crustaceans and nudibranchs meters of water. It is however in an area of
rything from shrimps to octopus, crocodile galore. Watch for larger animals, too – the harbor where the visibility is often poor.
fish to lionfish and the unusual leaf fish to a hawksbill sea turtles, sharks, and yellowfin It’s deep and can be dark and murky and
large moray eel. Includes bommies right in tuna are often seen here. recommended only for experienced divers.
front of the jetty. Max depth: 24 meters.
