CAIRNS GREAT BARRIER REEF DIVING INFORMATION ENGLISH BLOG

14-15/1/12 GBR TRIP: Introductory diving in the Great Barrier Reef

The main guests in this dive trip were introductory divers. It was the first dive for most divers. Some of them looked a bit nervous while they were doing a few practices at first.

There was gentle northern wind with max 30m visibility.

We could get beautiful sun beams in the water. Divers were getting more relaxed to see these colourful world.

We saw Hawksbill turtle and

A school of Bumphead Parrotfish.

For fun divers, we found a baby of Many-spotted Sweetlips,

Banded Pipefish and

Yelloweye Triplefin etc.

At sandy areas, there are Banded Shrimpgoby and

Nudibranchs.

From second dive of introductory diving, divers started to swim easily even where were midium current.

Some people had 4 introductory dives in this trip. They came to look like real certified divers!

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

7-8/1/12 GBR TRIP: Calm and warm Great Barrier Reef

With only little rain this year, we have had sunny days and good visibility.

Brown-marbled grouper

We saw Whitetip Reefshark, Green Seaturtle, Giant Trevally, too.

Red and Black Anemonefish

Chelidonura Varians

We went to the wild side as having gentle northern wind.

Bluefin Trevally chasing small fish

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

3-4/1/12 GBR TRIP: The first dive of 2012

This is the first dive log of this year. We had a good start as the gust dropped and the visibility recovered.

Our main guests in this cruise were introductory divers - with smile.

They warmed up at the bar under the boat.

Found an unusual Dotyback - Multicolour or Sailfin Dottyback?

Dusky Nembrotha

Notodoris Minor

Flatworm

For big fish lovers...

We also saw Sea Turtles and Mackerels.

A school of squids

Painted Crayfish

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

17-18/12/11 GBR TRIP: Gobies

Due to hevy rain, the water looked green, but the visibility recovered after a few days from this dive trip.

All introductory divers were so relax in the water this time, too.

Giant Trevally

We also met a huge Maori Wrasse and sleeping Whitetip Reefshark.

School of some sort of fish

Rayed Shrimpgoby

Banded Shrimpgoby - Different colour's gobies lived in the same hole.

Ocella Plakobranchus

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

15-16/12/11 GBR TRIP: Shark Attack??

Still updating dive logs from December. In this middle of the month cruise, we had some introductory divers. All had no problems practicing dive skills at the moring rope, and then went to discover the underwater world.

A Whitetip Reefshark almost crushed us!
This is a small, not dangerous shark, but may look a bit scary if you see it too close.

Randall's Shrimpgoby

Bursatella leachii ?

Chelidonura Varians

We checked all types of Anemonefish in the Great Barrier Reef.
"NEMO" the Crown Anemonefish

Red and Black Anemonefish

Pink Anemonefish

Masanori Onishi
大西昌則
dive.cairnsgbr.info
AL WING
RumRunner

11-12/12/11 GBR TRIP: Summer Breeze continues

Four new divers completed Openwater Diver course. With northern gentle breeze since the last cruise, the training was smoothly conducted.

The wild side of the reef

Whitetip Reefshark
く

Blubberlip

Starfish shrimp

Painted Crayfish

Coi's Chromodoris

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

6-7/12/11 GBR TRIP: Summer Breeze

Around this dive trip, the ocean was very calm for a few days. Only the gentle nothern wind sometimes blew.

We were able to go to the wild side of the reef for diving and snorkeling. There were huge soft corals even near the moring.

Dusky batfish beside the drop off

School, school and school!

Lionfish (juv.)

Much-desired Flabellina

Maori Wrasse
We also saw a big cod, Bumphead Parrotfish, Whitetip Reefshark.

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

3-4/12/11 GBR TRIP: Randall's Shrimpgoby

Randall's Shrimpgoby was found at the regular dive site of RumRnner! It was the first time in 15 years for me to see this goby in the Great Barrier Reef except for at Ribbon Reefs.

Yellownose Shrimpgoby with a Snapping shrimp

Choat's Wrasse (juv.) - Mainly fron the Southern Great Barrier Reef, unusual in the Northern G.B.R.

Urchin Siphonfish between thorns of Crown-of-thorns Starfish

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

1-2/12/11 GBR TRIP: Water is warming up

The ocean temperature is going up quickly this month. Now it is about 29 to 30 C. That is why there are so many baby fish everywhere.

Squids gathered near the surface of water.

Pygmy Seahorse

Gardiner's Notodoris (juv.)

3 divers completed Openwater Diver Corse successfully in this trip.

The surprised students seeing a Green Sea Turtle

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

8-9/11/11 GBR TRIP: Openwater training in Cairns

Some Openwater students were on board in this dive trip.
All of them seemed to enjoy their training in the Great Barrier Reef.

The students came to be able to swim easily and confidently at the end of training.

We found a young Harlequin Sweetlips which movement was lovely.

Eggs of Nudibranch

Here came presents from the ocean to the new divers.
Green Sea Turtle and

Hawksbill Sea Tuttle

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

03-04/11/11 GBR TRIP: Migratory Fish City

The first dive trip of November was very comfortable as there were only gentle wind and good water visibility.

The contrast of light and dark was great at the sunset dive.

An imposing Brassy Trevally was following an　imposing Dogtooth Tuna.

Giant Trevally

Spotfin Lionfish

Crown Anemonefish

Dusky batfish

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

05-06/11/11 GBR TRIP: Just Blue

We had very good water visibility again in this overnight dive trip from Cairns.

The sunlight from the top of swim-through charmed every diver.

Just blue...

Blue-Green Damsels were hovering in the clear water.

A Giant Trevally under the boat - we have seen him quite regularly these days.

We also saw a big school of Bumphead Parrotfish (about 20). After they passed, there was a sandstorm like cattle herd passed.

Cheers from the blue water!

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

29-30/10/11 GBR TRIP: The last dive trip of October

This is the dive log from the last overnight trip in the Great Barrier Reef in October.

We went to the regular dive sites that time as the wind direction had gone back to the normal. Lots of fish gathered in swim-throughs and under orverhangs.

Fish schools were getting bigger and bigger with warmer water temperature.

In a shallow lagoon early in the morning

Banded Shrimpgoby and Shrimp

A beautiful Nudibranch

Also, Bumphead Parrotfish, sharks, seaturtles, Giant Trevally were seen.

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

11-12/10/11 GBR TRIP: Openwater training among fish schools

The days with northern winds are evidently increasing. We had moderate northern wind through this dive trip.

The wind almost stopped at the sunset / sunrise time.

Due to this wind, all dive sites which we visited were the opposite side of the reef from our regular dive sites. The water visibility was maximum 30m.

There were lots of fish schools.
Yellowtail Barracuda

Yellow-and-Blueback Fusilier

Painted Crayfish

Green Seaturtle

We had some Openwater students in this trip. After their first dives with fish schools, seaturtles, sharks and other tropical fish, they seemed to come to like diving very much.

Masa Onishi
AL WING
RumRunner

8-9/10/11 GBR TRIP: Zebra Shark!

Zebra Shark!!

Here is the movie!

It was over 2m, swam off slowly into the blue water.

A Whitetip Reef Shark looked even smaller than the Zebra, but still threatened other fish around.

The gentle northern breeze blew through the trip, so we were able to go to some dive sites which located at the opposite side of the regular sites.
A mass school of Fusiliers.

We also visited a dive site with lots of soft coral.

Stone Fish

Ring-eye Jawfish

Pink Anemonefish

Lucky introductory divers who saw the Zebra Shark

and over 25m visibility!

ALWING
RumRunner
Masa ONISHI