Cigar Reef & Mike's Labyrinth Dives

16 June 2024

Dive 1 was at Cigar Reef dive site. Max dept 21.9m, 32 min dive.

Sadly the storm came down, swell was up, light and vis was quite bad (worst I have had ever at Rotto). A couple of the clips I almost mistook for a night dive when I first saw them again. Nice corals but wasn't too thrilled with the dive site. A couple of us had gear problems too so all in all wasn't a too pleasing experience. Getting back on the boat and a few people were quite sick from the swell. Been there, definitely empathise.

Dive 2 was Mike's Labyrinth dive site. Max depth 14.1m, 61 min dive.

This dive was much better, shallower and way better vis, but wow was the surge huge. Definitely got quite puffed when out in the open trying to get anywhere, sometimes would drop down and find a sheltered spot with other fish friends to rest briefly.
Huge surge had us swaying back and forth like dramatic underwater dancers. Once you stopped fighting the surge, relaxed and went with it, it was actually a great experience.

Highlights include finding a massive school of woodwards pomfrets to swim with and finding a very chonky nudibrach I had never seen before (somehow I stumbled over him as was swept over his reef) and was fun watching the current swoosh his appendages around.

Challenging day all up, but as always, was great to be underwater.



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