Turtles and Dogtooth Tunas

Today I finally had the chance getting outside the reef for some freediving

in the passages and it was absolutely brilliant, thanks to Reef to Sea for taking

me with them. Only three scubas and me, nice group. Not even 5min in the water and we had

the first Green Sea Turtle. Only a couple of minutes later, at a depth around 22m,

7 Dogtooth Tunas (first time I saw them). The reef was full of fish and I really

enjoyed my diving, exept that there where a lot of Jellyfish (As they had a lot of different Jellyfish 

on display in the Monterey Bay and Osaka Aquarium, even if the diving guide not agreed, I would 

definitely vote for a small version of box jellyfish with only four tentacles! So watch out!)

The second passage we've been was more shallow, between 5-15m but also turtles all

over the place. I also saw one Hawksbill Sea Turtle.

Highlight on that dive was the biggest Goliath Grouper I ever saw.

We all estimate it between 2,10-2,30 and at least over 150kg (probably more), a monster!!!

The head of that thing had nearly the size of my backpack! Sadly I saw it first during my ascent, so I only

 started recording on the surface, 10-14m above (estimated) the Goliath Grouper

There have been also plenty of Orangespine Unicorn Fish, never saw as much at

the same time. One of my favorite.

If you ever gona visit Rarotonga, do not leave without diving around the passages.

Invited for Lunch and Dinner

The Owner of the Guesthouse invited me for lunch and later for dinner. For Lunch
they've invited also the pastor and his "helping hand". As I ate the last days only
small fruits for lunch, I was very happy about that, but also did not expected that they tried
fatten me ;)
The Husband cooked three pigs over night in the ground and her wife made some side dish, like
baked pumpkin and a absolutely delicious salad (will publish the recipe when she sends it to me)
The pig perfectly cooked. The meat was very mellow/tender, like braised meat.
As they cooked the whole pig, I had also the chance of tasting the ear, cheek and the tongue.
I'm watching Bizarre Foods very often and remembered, ear, snout, cheek and tongue are some of the best parts
The snout I didn't taste, after I had enough to fight mentally with my self during chewing the
part of tongue. ;) To be honest, it was good, really good, but I couldn't ate more of it at this time.

 Maybe next time when I will have the chance and there will be not so much distaste present.

Not to mention, eating with fork and knife was frowned upon ;)

No Bluewater Spearfishing

Till my arrival I asked for three thinks, bluewater spearfishing, freediving and finding
the guys from the Youtube video I saw, harpooning Mahi Mahi.
Best price for spearfishing was 150NZD for 3-4hours, driving from FAD(Fish aggregation
devices) to FAD. Still expensive, but compared to others, 400-600NZD still a good deal.
Problem was/is that the waves are very big at the moment and everyone is telling me,
that this will not be fun. So still waiting for better weather.

For freediving, the only chance is doing the passages (tried some in the south, but again
the current was strong and its not worst it I thought) going out dedicated (the diving operaters
will charge me 100NZD) or going with some scubas on the same trip. For that thy will charge
me after some bargaining, 30NZD. For nearly three hours, absolutely fair.
But the problem with the last option is, only one dive operater is offering me that
and he had no customers at the moment :(

And the harpooning thing... What I found out is that one of the guys left the Island back
to New Zealand and the other one, Kevin "Salam/Salan", I did not reach/find.
Nearly everyone knows him, I also got his phone number, but seems to be not my week,
finding him. But even if I will find him, same with bluewater spearfishing, very choppy###
outside.

Moving

Today I moved to another location in the south of the Island, called Maiana Guesthouse.

And you will not believe, again an upgrade for free. From single room in the main building,

to beachfront with a double bed, big shower, own kitchen and a balcony...

But everything comes with a price... For the beach I have to walk 30m to my right/left ;)

It is managed by an older couple and the both are very nice.

They brought me fresh fruits (mostly Papayas) and said if I eat them all, they will

bring me more. Good for me, sounds like free refill. ;)

Rarotonga

The last couple of days I spent at Rarotonga Backpackers on the west-side of the Island

I booked there a single room in the main building for 40NZD,

but got an upgrade to one of the Bungalows for two people,

close to the beach. Own toilet, shower, fridge and a double

bed for the same price... nice ;)

I also got upgraded for the flight from AKL - RAR, Economy to Premium Economy.

Did not spend any cent for this ;)

But after good news, bad news follow... The Reef/Lagoon is full of ciguatera,

so nothing with catching and preparing my own lunch and dinner.

Later the next day I meet two people who got poisoned by fish they bought, labeled

as Tuna, at the market. Could only have been Dogtooth Tuna, because this species is

searching for prey in and around the reef

They said the worst part was, when it felt like someone was putting needles between

there joints. Hope I will never get this on my trip.

Snorkeling around this place was also very very bad. I asked some locals, who suggested

me going to the end of the lagoon and jumping over the edge. Sounds simple and actually it

is, but the biggest problem was, getting back into the lagoon. Specialy if I imagine going

there with my carbonfiber fins. The waves are big and it is very very shallow at the edge.

Either the fins will broke, or I will hardly get washed over the corals.

I thought it isn't worth it.

But what are the other options? Answer is quite simple, the passages

Everyone is warning you about the passages in the Reef/Lagoon, because it can suck you out

into the blue, and over the last ten years, there died a couple of tourists out there.

But for sure, this will be one of the best places ;) The plan if I really got sucked out

was, going over the reef back into the lagoon, as one of the locals told me.

There was one artificial build for the smaller cruise ship landing-boats very close to my place.

All in all it wasn't worth it. I saw some of the biggest Bluefin Trevally ever,

but I had to be honest, I stopped close to the end of the passage and tried

getting in, before I start freediving there and got exhausted, and it was really

strong getting in again. What I found out a couple of days later, this is also the hardest

passage with the strongest current ;)