Diving Palau part 3

Third day and last day

Blue Corner and New-Drop-Off

The first dive today was the only one I would consider as worth it, I had so far in Palau.

Nothing really special, but a lot of fish. At no time you've been searching to see something.

Highlight (note the "" are missing ;-)): Melon-Headed Whales before Blue Corner and plenty of

Dogtooth Tuna.

So three days of diving Palau. 

They don't wanted to go with me and three other clients to Shark City. They told us, its only good 

on special times for example full-moon and exept that time, you only see a couple of sharks and the current is "super strong"

Mhh I only saw a "couple" of sharks (Grey's & Whitetip Reef), nothing special. Maybe for shark lovers, I was 

at the wrong place, wrong time of the year or been diving with the wrong company, I don't know. They also called 

Blue Coner "super strong" current. Compared to other pass dives I had, this was not even a quarter! Sissy's!!!

A older couple told me, 30 years ago they've been here and all the dives 

been at least 10m deeper and with more current. So whats that about? Making it more easy for the dive guides?

All the time I spotted bigger shadowws in the deep, and also spotted much more then the dive guide it self.

May I add "wrong dive guide" to the list above as well?

Anyway, definetely nice dive sites, but for me, not worth it going here again for diving!

For nearly the same money I can go to better places for diving and diving is cheaper over there too ;-)

I regret that I did not went there doing my travel, but i thought I try something else to find other nice places.

Some places are outstanding, some are not. I thought Palau is one of the outstanding onces, but not for me.

That's the bad thing when you already had one of the best diving at the beginning of your dive carier

Some impressions

Some mixed pictures from the Outer islands of Yap

 

Turtle hunt

Today they took me with them for spearfishing again, but primary for turtle hunting.

I told them that I'm not able shooting one, but at least tell them if I see one.

So I went for fish and they for turtle.

This spot where they took me, was not comparable with the last one. At the end I only saw

two bigger sized fish and a very (I mean VERY) big stingray. The Spadefish was for one of the guys 

from another village and the Sweetlips for sashimi (this kind of Sweetlips, forgot the name, is in 

Japan one of the most wanted and best sahimi fish, I do not agree;)). 

The turtle hunters have been also successful. Two good sized Green Turtles.

I thought shooting is the hardest part, but seeing how they kill and cook, was even harder!

They are turning the turtle on the back, stretching the neck over a peace of wood and then use a big aluminum/steel pipe

or crowbar for smashing the head. I asked why not using the machete and cutting of the head?

They told me they want and need the blood for the taste and for cooking later.

After killing, they leave it on the back and put some dried coconut husk around and on the belly,

start fire and cook it that way about one hour and then open the belly.

So there are different ways how you prepare the meat. The neck I tried sahimi with soy sauce

later I had some meat (don't know which part it was) normally cooked in a pan, like I cook chicken

and also some meat cooked with all the blood in the shell as kind of goulash.

To be honest, all three ways tasted good, specially the sashimi and the goulash.

What was hard to see and I still do not understand how this worked (they told me its every time like this)

is the beating heart. They opened the belly and the heart is still beating. I first thought

this poor animal is not dead at all, but after being cooked for one hour? Then it was also

beating after the removed it and put it separately on the table with all the other organs and meat.

For sure for over 15 minutes, very strange. The whole feast took about 5 hours

and I think there was still some meat left at the end.

Anyway, will never hunt turtles and to be honest, there is also no need for me eating it again.

It was good, but as one who loves them more alive in the water and seeing them swimming right in front

of my camera, like in Rarotonga, I probably will never eat again.

I hope Turtle Island on Ulithi will not be a big market place and butchery island ;), because 

for the Yapese it is one of there best delicacies

By the way, one of the days with the best weather since my stay on Yap.

Hunga

Probably the best Place in Vava'u

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Went out for some bluewater spearfishing. Over 12 MahiMahi and a couple of bigger Wahoo's.

Sadly my travel mates forbid me spearing more than we can eat... damn!

Makes absolutely sense, but for sure I had found some others in the next village who've been happy about some Wahoo ;)

Isn't this a good place for fresh Mahi Mahi sashimi? ;)

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.