and Orchid Island by sea

Are you ready for this? Because I am still reeling from the wonder that was diving at Orchid Island, Taiwan. The weekend of diving started out with trepidation when Chieh-wen informed me that it was island policy to hire local dive masters to guide people even on shore dives. I was confused as to why three professional divers had to have someone guide us from the shore. Honestly, all you do on shore dives is swim out, turn right or left, and when your tank hits the halfway mark turn around and come back. I was insulted. Oh well, I had come all this way for diving here and nothing would stop me, not even added expense. Okay, obviously I understand the requirement for local diver masters: they know the reefs, they need to make a living, and most importantly, the people of this island completely and utterly appreciate the beauty around them and they don't want dumb tourist divers ruining the reefs.

But we needed the dive master on a whole different level. Now, I am a fairly jaded diver when I get in the water. Call me spoiled for experiencing 80% of my dives in Roatan, Honduras with some of the easiest, most beautiful dives you can go on. It now takes a lot for me to get impressed. However, as we crossed over the rock flats and submerged into the reef, I was awe stricken. There was no way I could be responsible for navigating my own dive as I was so excited I could barely keep the regulator in my mouth. I glanced back at Cammie with my eyes as big as saucers and saw she was in the same state as I. This was incredible. Surrounding us on all sides were mountains of coral heads with nearly complete coral cover and biodiversity like a marine biologist can only dream about. Schools of reef fish darted around me, curious to see who was disturbing their haven. Nudibranchs (like coral reef slugs) of all shapes and sizes squirmed around the bottom. And a sea snake (the most venomous snake in the world) slithered by us. My childhood fascination (okay, okay my adulthood fascination too) with mermaids did not seem so silly anymore. After an hour when we were forced to emerge as our tanks neared empty, I could have cried. I wanted to stay in the water forever. While pictures could never, ever do this weekend's dives justice I still want to share.

(The moment before the wonder begins)

 (Bright purple coral)

 (As if I was in a tank at the aquarium)

 (Getting artsy with the aquatic plants)

 (Lionfish! And yes this picture is oriented in the right direction)

 (Sea Star)

 (Like a scene out of a movie)

 (Soft coral hanging from the reef wall face)

 (More corals)

 (Nudibranch)

 (Nudibranch)

(Nudibranch)

 (Nudibranch)

 (Crazy sea star)

 (Plating coral - note this is in about 60 feet of water that is that clear)

(Sea snake! Terrible picture, but don't blame me for not wanting to get too close)

 (Chieh-wen going into one of the swim-throughs)

 (Swim-through again)

(Some very happy girls)

The diving was so great, our friends rented snorkel gear and Cammie and I took them to snorkel the dive sites. I loved introducing our physicist and engineer friends to our world. They stopped teasing us about being "lowly biologists" after that. 

 (Peter snorkeling)

 (Alex free diving)

 (Sarah looking unhappy, but she was not!)

 (James free diving)

I just having to brag about this last picture a bit. It was taken while I was free diving along the reef. Yes I took lots of shots and this is the only one that turned out, but this one is pretty great! The icing on the cake: at the end of the snorkel we came across a octopus that I got to change colors for all our friends (please do not act like me and harass the wildlife). This post is written in great nostalgia for diving Orchid Island, but also with a sense of caution. Seeing the effects tourism has on the beauty and health of reefs, part of me wants to keep Orchid Island a secret. 

Love to all!

Jules