Disco Clam

2/5/19

BLUE HOLES

Our first dive of the day was the Blue Holes. There are several "holes" but when people say "the holes" this is where they are referring to. First, you drop down the vertical tunnel, lined with hard and soft corals alike. Then, you make your way through the tunnel and out another hole to a higher reef right on the edge of Blue Corner. It is amazing that all these tiny fish can handle the current so well. Some of the fish were even swimming upside down here, like this lion fish, but not as many as what we found in Siaes Tunnel.

An finally, A DISCO CLAM!!! After shining a flashlight on this marvelous, he began to emit a silver dancing glow while his bright red fleshy whiskers danced about in water's movement (which really wasn't much but it makes the mental image better). 

  

Masked Bannerfish

Clark's Anemonefish

Checkerboard Wrasse

Spadefish

After breakfast, we took the little boat to a an island with a burial cave. First time on land in several days, which was quite an interesting feeling. Pretty weird, actually. This is the longest I've ever been on a boat at a single time. Usually, you can wade in. Today, however, the water level was high and we had to swim out, battling the rocks and coral on the way. The cave held human remains, some of which were as recent the last couple hundred years. In 2011, a typhoon covered the cave entrance, scattering and damaging the bones which had been mostly untouched before. In-between taking off my fins, one of my bracelets flew away in the waves. Anyone who knows me, knows they are a part of me, so of course I had to get it back. A fin escaped me, and my father and I got thrown against the rocks, probably because my focus was elsewhere. I got my bracelet! And the boat hunted down my fin, which thankfully floated around at the surface. They're going to try and get me a cooler scar though. Angry natives, 25ft sharks, all the exciting stuff. (those things really don't exist, but there has to be something better...)

PELELIU

Off to Peleliu, population 500. Many of the Palauans are from the island, but end up moving to Koror. They have one police  chief, and everyone knows each other.  We met Des of Peleliu Adventure Tours, who took us on a several hour historical war tour of the island.

    

Japanese Headquarters

You can still tell how nice this building used to be from the remnants of crown molding and floor tiling.