11.20.2010, Fiji, Mana Island, Ratu Kini Dive Resort, Internet Room
Well, out time here has come to it’s end, as we’ll be checking out here in a few minutes, loading our bags on the Mana Flyer, and heading back to Nadi where we’ll be transferred to our next stay, the Sonosoli Resort, which I believe is more like a resort you’d expect in the US, rather fancy. We’re only there for one night because it was cheap for some reason, and from there on out we’ll mostly be staying in dorms for our bus journey around Viti Levu. But to catch up a bit…My dive at the “Super Market” was pretty cool – an outer reef dive (we had to drive through the inner reef break in the 20’ panga) that dropped off to about 100’, but we kept to the 60’ limit and mostly just let the current drift us along the wall of the reef. We got to poke at a rather large (3’ or so) octopus, an eel of some type, saw a 5’ black tip reef shark in the distance, and one freaking huge tang/trigger fish (4’). I’m getting more comfortable with SCUBA, and my bottom time is reflecting it, as I’m using a lot less air and feeling more relaxed. That night Aimee and I attempted to chase a sunset with a bottle of wine in the backpack, but we we’re a bit late, and instead had a sit on the beach and enjoyed twilight. The next morning we had breakfast, then I jumped in the boat with the three Joes, two dive masters and one driver, all with the same name. Also joining us were three other blokes, one German, an Australian, and a Californian. We took a 40-minute panga ride to the site of the wreck, the “S.S. Salamada,” then we all geared up and took the 100’ plunge down the descent line and worked our way to the bow of the beast. Lurking in the blue haze of the bottom, the rounded bow of the Salamada slowly came into view, we all landed on the bow, and claimed her as our own! We proceeded down the exterior sides of the hull in two teams, one to Port, the other to Starboard, when we reached the stern, we entered the wreck through a cut-out in the bulkhead, then proceeded to the main cabin, down one deck into the engineering spaces and hold, then forward and upward to the top deck and wheelhouse, where we exited to the sidedeck walkway on the starboard wing, and proceeded aft, where we poked into some of the upper cabins, then aft to the working deck, arch, then up top to the stack. After taking our photos and videos, we left the stack in the swirls of our fins, and followed our bubbles slowly to the surface, taking a few minutes at 15’ to do a “safety” stop (aka, we did flips, goofed around, and just enjoyed all that is weightlessness). The interesting part was when we all got back on the boat for the ride home: every diver was quietly staring into nothingness, each reviewing and absorbing what we had each experienced. It was breathtaking and exciting, and I’d go again in a flash if I had the opportunity. This wreck had been prepped for diving and sunk on purpose over 20 years ago, but it still held a mystery and eeriness that is fixated in my mind, even now. Anywho, in all I did three dives, and I loved every one of them for what they offered. Gosh, I’ve got to come back here, but for much longer! The Australian, Jon, is here for a month getting his Dive Master Certification, and that seems like a great idea to me: maybe I’ll come back and do that! (the Fijian dollar is so good right now, it actually makes it worth it to do the training here, plus it’s freakin’ beautiful! A no-brainer, fo’ sho.’
Well, I’ve got to go check out, but if you get the time, take a look at www.nickgoesroundtheworld.blogspot.com, the travel blog of a bloke from Germany I met last night who had just been shot by a local (accidently) with a speargun. It passed through his right thumb, then into his right breast area. Cool guy, looking to write a book to get folks on their way to traveling the world instead of just being jelous, and I wish him the best of luck.
Cheers,
Danny
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