Niue dive trip - October 2010
 Niue is one of the world’s largest upraised coral atolls, made from rugged, eroding limestone, riddled with caves and caverns. The sea is crystal clear with virtually no run off, but without this nutrient in the water, fish life is a bit sparse. So is was the cave formations and swim throws, the amazing snake population , our close encounter with dolphins, and the entertaining bunch of people that has made with dolphins, and the entertaining that has made it a memorable holiday.
A 3 hour wait for our Air NZ flight turned out useful for Sue, who tried to take her toiletry bag in her hand luggage. She had to return to check in and send it through on its own, then go through all the check points a 2nd time.
The flight to NZ passed quickly with each person having their own TV screen, and a choice of 12 movies, an interesting lamb pie, cookies and cream ice-cream and champagne (YAY!)
In Auckland we had a stopover at the Jet Park Hotel and the following morning headed out on a 3 hour flight to Nuie.
 A meeting with our dive guides was an experience on its own. From Australia, our guides had a very regimented approach with each group having their own ‘corner’ (and keep to your corner)with black hanger for wetsuits, yellow hanger for BCD, left bucket for rinsing BCDs, right bucket for rinsing regs, far right for rinsing camera, etc,etc,etc
I kid you not. I thought we were being punked.
Our group separated into 3 rubber duckies, which was lowered by crane to the water.
First dive was to see Matavai Bommie. Lionel summed it up. He said when he first got in, he decided to hang around a small rock to wait for the others to be ready , then swim to the bommie together… the rock turned out to be the bommie, rather disappointing, however we saw a blue and yellow ribbon eel, some clams, parrot fish, and our first sea snake..a Banded Krait.
Second Dive,(Snake Gulley) as the boat pulled up, 5 Kraits greeted us on the surface, and more were swimming up and down to breathe. A group of them doing this is referred to as a curtain. We entered a dark cave two at a time, and using torches we found crayfish, 3 in one spot, and lots of squirrel fish. In a cavern I was filming a krait swimming, when a much larger one swam out to protect it, and then shooed me away. I captured my squeal on the underwater camera.
Sunday is a rest day, in Niue, with diving not permitted, so we had a complimentary bus. With Bob driving (very well), Andrew navigating (quite well) and Phil, acting as tour guide(rather badly), we explored caves and caverns hidden in the rainforest. Some walks were slow going, steeply downhill, or over pointy, jagged eroded limestone. Limu pools was picturesque coastal rock pools with blue crystal clear water.
 Third Dive (Limu Caves) we went down a huge hole into a dark cave and using torches we filmed a few scattered fish.( angelfish, banner fish)
4th Dive we found some clown fish, a resident leafy scorpion fish, and some painted shrimp in one spot. After following along through dark corridors of a cave, we entered a wider space where a fairly large pregnant shark swam out of hiding ,circled around and swam off, a bit unnerving in a dark, confined space. Down another corridor and we came up in Bubble Cave, where we could remove our mask and breathe below sea level, and using torches view the stalactites. Quite amazing. A first for me
 5th Dive, water way too cool for me, so I hired a 2.5mm suit to go over my sharkskin. I was toasty warm, while Phil and others complained of the cold in some caves. On this dive, we were led down a chimney to a fireplace, where I met a huge crayfish face to face in the dark. He posed beautifully for the camera. Outside the cave, we came across the only wreck to be had…a Toyota landrover, swept into the sea by some huge cyclonic waves experiences at an earlier date.
6th Dive, we swam up a canyon and into Dome Cave where once again we could remove our mask. Stalactites decorated the ceiling and purple Coconut crabs, looking like nasty spiders, clung and crawled overhead. Leaving the cave we saw a Rock Mover Wrasse. Also saw the largest live cowrie I’ve ever seen.
7th Dive, back to Snake Gulley. Snakes snuggling in piles. Snakes everywhere, but not aggressive, merely inquisitive. Seem to be attracted to red fins. Mine!
Today there were Spinner Dolphins out. We put on our fins and mask , slid into the water, held the side of the boat, and as it took off, the dolphins frolicked in front of the boat, and we could see and film it all. Truly amazing stuff.
One to tick off my bucket list. A baby was there beside its mother continually. She had a round wound in her side caused by a cookie cutter shark.
 It was Phil’s birthday today. Few people could have a birthday story like that to tell of.
8th Dive,(Tama) what fun!! A drift dive across coral outcrops, but we swam up channels where there was a strong surge back and forth. Timing the surges, and finning
rapidly , you could surf the surges. It was like flying. I was being Marine Boy zooming along. Phil found a massive moray up one of these channels.
 9th Dive Gothic City, a rough trip out for sea sickness sufferers. Almost as soon as we entered the water a few sharks swam up to take a look, coming in very close for the cameras. Some good footage taken. We explored around some large coral heads here, finding some larger fish.
Between dives, another go with the dolphins. They were down deep this time and I was hoping they would come to the surface for a closer look, and they did. A rapid swim up a dipping right within arm's reach of me. Awesome! Very grateful to Ian for giving us another go with them.
 10th and last Dive, the Channels, a lazy relaxing 68min drift dive across Staghorn. Brain, plate and soft corals, clams, and variety of scattered fish with another go surfing the channels.
Sorry to leave.
We will miss having those fabulous dinners looking out over the sea , the best bed I’ve ever slept in on a holiday yet, and lovely staff
Thanks to Jacky, Rob, Sue, Steve, Andrew, Bob, Lionel and Deb (our new champagne buddy) for such pleasant and entertaining company
Now we are looking forward to the next one
Where to now Bob?
Report by Keri MacSweeney.
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Dive trips each Saturday and Sunday on Supercat and spaces are normally available on reques
