day three …

Dive Site –  House Reef

This was to be my ‘catchup’ day and a day I could play on the house reef. No time lines.

It was very early in the morning, dark, my mind was racing with information overload, when I realised I hadn’t put those X’s next to my name on the Dive Boat whiteboard.  Arghhh! The 7.30 am boat. My gear would be put on the boat which meant I couldn’t snorkel the house reef. A hasty walk to the Dive Centre to add those X’s (we were one of the last bungalows so we weren’t exactly close), meant I could relax. Thankyou Neville! (It was the next day when we realised I could have called the Front Desk to do the same.) Ooops!

The timing of my ’rest day’ turned out to be rather fortuitus.  When all the dive boats departed, the resort was so quiet. Most had eaten breakfast early and departed for their 7.30 am dive, so there were only a few of us around. We chatted to an Australian lady who was sitting on her own and she happened to know our home town quite well.  Michelle has a good friend living in Somers (who I coincidentally know) and visits Somers regularly. A small world!

However, it was the conversation that followed that really interested me. 

During my day with Adrienne, my photography guide, she happened to mention Pam Osborn was here at the resort. THE Pam Osborn. Pam and Wayne Osborn, from Australia, are renown photographers, both under the water and above. So, ok, just which one is she??!! It turned out Pam and Wayne were friends of Michelle, something I gleaned during our conversation and they were here at Wakatobi together. Hmmm … how do I strike up a conversation with Pam?? I was sure an opportunity might present itself. Watch this space!

During my initial research on Wakatobi I came across the name Pam Osborn.  It is, I think, their thirteenth visit to Wakatobi! (Michelle’s fifth). They are very well known here and treated accordingly. Pam only snorkels and only snorkels the house reef here at Wakatobi. Wayne dives and ventures out to the dive sites.  Pam has produced an online book of the hundreds of different fish and creatures she has photographed here on the house reef, which I’d already uploaded.  An amazing task.

I had two snorkels on day three, both on the house reef. Both from the jetty. When snorkeling the house reef, you write your name along with your departure and return times on the whiteboard. There is always a ‘spotter’ on the jetty watching out for you.  I did feel quite safe. Neville was enjoying himself on land reading.

There is approx’ 100m of shallow sand before a drop-off at the house reef. The sandy areas have a variety of scattered coral heads and seagrass along with a variety of fish and different creatures. It was the drop-off that I explored first. 

This was my favourite find, Pink Anemonefish living in a white Magnificent Anemone. Check out the slideshow …

And a beautiful sunset …

What a great day!

Note: Remember you can click-on each image to get a larger view.