Blue Lagoon

July 10 day after full moon      (side note: click to enlarge any photo)

Tiger Beetle Rob had told us of a place called the Blue Lagoon on the North West side of Fakarava. He has a draft of 9 feet, so he was planning to take his dingy over there. But we looked at our satellite photos on our chart plotter and decided we could take Avatar. The whole secret was to find the fabled one palm tree motu and anchor behind it.

We watched another amazing sunset, having found it.

And then the moon, not quite full, rose over the lagoon.

The next morning Rob came over in his dingy and we all went exploring together. First we came across pilings from an old pearl farm.

And yes this part of the lagoon is very blue and has a lovely white sand beach.

Then we were in quite shallow water, looking back at Avatar and the one palm motu.

At some interesting looking coral rocks we anchored the dinghies and went for a snorkel. Crazy how these rocks stick out, looks almost like a whale frozen into the coral.

There were the little black and white Dascyllus fish guarding their crystal like coral formations.

One rock had a hole big enough to swim through!

There were a few other fish here and there.

This rock was looking at us through it's eye holes!

Mike and Rob take the dinghies through the section where the water is actually deep enough, now that the tide had gone out a bit.

I walked on the sandy beach and looked at the many little crab holes and wave formations in the sand.

This is a good photo that shows how shallow the water really is!

These little guys were sticking their heads out of the sand. A little eel of some sort.  Guess they are not crab holes after all!

I walked out to deeper water, so Mike could pick me up and we all went back to the boat. Then we decided we should snorkel around the motu.

It shallows up quickly in front of where we anchored. Here is one of those rocks we try not to catch with the anchor.

There were a lot more fish out here by the motu, especially as the water shallowed up.

I believe this is the Pacific Sailfin Tang, but his fin on top is retracted.

These three are Fine Lined Surgeonfish.

I took my sandals snorkeling with me, so I could go ashore on the motu. When I popped my head above water this little sandpiper was watching me closely!

I stayed clear of him when I got out of the water. If you look at the pieces of coral he is standing on, you can see why I brought my sandals!

As a matter of fact, this whole motu is just a big pile of little sharp pieces of coral in a big pile! Doesn't bother the sandpiper though.

There are a few small shrubs and weeds growing along with the lone palm.

On the windward side are these big shards of pink and brown coral.

Interesting how the saltwater bleaches out the coral where the tide comes up to every day, but the part above the tide line turns gray.

Avatar and the dinghies anchored behind the motu.

Long ago, in the middle of these bushes, had washed up a big board and some line.

Over there is another bombie with deep water between it and the motu.

Looking into the shallow water on the lee side of the motu. Note the big round coral head.

Back in the water, the first thing I see is this black tip reef shark.

In Hawaii this fish is known as the Humahumanupanupaapuapa. The guide book just calls him the Lagoon Triggerfish.

Out in the deeper water we see the staghorn type corals.

I thought this was a White Unicornfish, but he does not match any of the ones in my book.

This clam has iridescent blue on his lips.

Some kind of a blob, covering the end of a coral rock.

A blue or purple fish with a yellow tail. Possibly a Tracey's Damsel.

This is a Threadfin Butterfly Fish. See his long thread trailing from his dorsal fin?

Later in the afternoon, after Rob went on back to the East side, Mike and I decided to snorkel on that other bombie with the deep water around it. First thing we see when we get in the water........(theme to Jaws) Dum dum, dum dum, a grey reef shark. We keep an eye on him!

The black tip reef sharks are no problem.

There is a whole school of Paletail Unicornfish!

In the foreground lower is a Pacific Double Saddle Butterflyfish. Above him is a Raccoon Butterflyfish. But the big guy in the background is a Titan Triggerfish that can grow up to 2.5 feet long!

Next we were graced by a visit from this Spotted Eagle Ray and his Ramora shark sucker fish.

He was quite a site, flying though the water!

I adjusted the lighting on this photo so you can see the little circles on his back that creates his spots.

Finally we saw a Turtle! He was hanging onto a steep part of the rock outcropping.

As he swam away we saw the growth of alge on his shell. He is the first and only turtle we have seen since leaving Tahiti.

Swimming back around the rock we saw the school of Unicornfish again.

Before getting back in the dinghy I photoed this Six-bar Wrasse in front of a Moorish Idol.

And this beautiful Parrotfish.

While we were over on the East side of Fakarava, a tour boat came by and told us this area was protected. Well that sure makes sense, since we saw so much amazing sea life!!