Tasseled Wobbegon!

Our first 'real' dive trip in Raja Ampat made me feel like I was watching a movie - a National Geographic documentary on the best diving in the world; it was a non-stop array of fish, corals, colours and fun, the show-stopper being the Tassled Wobegon (actually THREE of them!). The ones we saw were 2 - 2.5 meters long.

These critters are also known as Carpet Sharks - must've been named in the seventies, when SHAG carpets were the big thing (have a look at the fringe along the front of the head)! Can you spot his REAL eyes?





Before the dive I didn't know much about these sharks, but upon return, I did a little research. They're mostly active at night, while during the day they are found, as we saw, lounging on the sea floor, in the shelter of a large rock or cave. They have teeth (and lots of them!). They're not aggressive, however if disturbed (intentionally or not, tricky because of their effective camouflage!), they have been known to bite... and when they bite, they clamp on and don't let go! I uncovered one story from Australia of a man who was bitten by a Wobbegong while swimming, swam back to shore, walked along the beach to his car, got in his car and drove to the hospital... all with the shark still attached to his leg!



Now, when I say, first "REAL" dive trip, it's only because the first dive we tried to do here (a couple of months ago), the current was strong... For the most part, I can handle current while diving. This current was not just 'strong', like "ooh, I actually have to kick my fins a few times", no, no, I mean it was 'strong' as in, I was holding on for dear life, while the entire ocean rushed by my body, making it feel like my head was stuck in a washing machine! As a general rule in dive sites, with current come lots of fish... and it's true, there were plenty, and BIG... but I couldn't really appreciate them, since I was concentrating on not being swept off to the neighbouring continent by the current at the time! In the meantime, we have found out that we simply dropped in on the wrong side of the rock, and that from the other side (or another time of day/tide for that matter) these fish can be enjoyed from the lee of the rock! Just goes to show why people dive WITH GUIDES!?

Meanwhile, Meos Kon, our most recent adventure, was a wonderful dive, with a little current, and TONNES of fish. Although the two human-sized barracudas that seemed to be stalking me made me a little nervous! I don't need to do research to know THEIR fame! I didn't get a picture of the two individuals in question (although the look in their eyes is permanently etched on my brain! -- no need to tell you I was concentrating on doing my most nonthreatening-diver imitation, while being sure they knew I knew they were there, so that they would leave me alone?)... but later I did manage to get one of the school.