Cleanerfish Bay

Swimming down the eklonia kelp garden we come to the sand line at 30 metres. Turning right there is a large boulder with a crack running all the way through. We fin slowly over and examine it. There are two red banded coral shrimp, waving their antennae at us, and just below, a juvenile diadema palmeri urchin. In the torchlight it changes from a dull dark brown to a brilliant fiery red, with iridescent blue lines running from the centre.We then see a male giant boarfish out on the white sand and kick over to it. Unusually, it allows us to approach to within 2 metres. We spend a minute hovering, gazing at him and then each other, amazed that we can get so close. Suddenly, with a flick of his powerful tail he is gone, out further on the sand, chasing his next meal.Turning around, we slowly head back up into the kelp forest, hoping to see a crested weedfish, but are happy enough to see a slender pipefish meandering through the kelpheads.Back up at 8 metres now, we swim lazily around several big boulders, hunting for nudibranchs, of which we see 3 species, verconis with it's brilliant blue and yellow colours, aphelodoris and the pretty ceratosoma. As our air is getting low and we swim back to the boat, we're still followed by the wrasse that has been with us all dive. Being friendly perhaps . . . . . . . or wanting food!