New Year's Day Dive

Betty and I arrived at Honaunau Bay bright and early on New Year's Day to be the first SCUBA divers there in 2012. We were in the water by a few minutes past 7AM.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

The water was a little cold with an average temperature of about 73 to 74F. At one point, both of our computers read 69F.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

Because of a bad fiber-optic cable connection, my strobe wasn't firing so I had to rely on the camera's built-in flash which is pretty weak. But I managed to get some decent shots like this one of a Bandit Angelfish.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

Bandit's aren't rare but they are uncommon. I considered this a good start to diving in 2012!

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

Several cleaning stations were quite busy for so early in the morning. I snapped this Ornate Butterflyfish at one such station. The cleaner wrasse is in the far side of this fish.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Facker

This Barred Filefish was also getting cleaned and held up his dorsal "trigger" so the wrasse could clean around it.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

We were also lucky enough to catch this Day Octopus out in the open. This is the time of year that I've noticed a lot of mating activity among the octos.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

At one point, the octopus blanched. I probably got too close for it to feel comfortable.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

I took this picture of a male longfin anthias on the second dive when the cable was re-attached to the strobe.

Photo 2012 by Barry Fackler

This lurid Ringtail Wrasse was comfortable under a deep rock. There was also an Undulated Moray under there with it.

Photo Copyright 2012 by Barry Fackler

And that's the way it was on New Years Day for us. Hope your year is off to a good start also!