Night Diving (previously censored)
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Dinner is finished, some divers have gathered on the sun deck (now dark) to discuss the day’s events. Others, including my dive buddy and I have not yet concluded our diving day. The night dive looms before us. We’ve dived here earlier in the day but we know that, after dark, the reef changes dramatically. The dive deck is awash in fluorescent light. The island’s shore, only a short distance away, is invisible now. The night divers, assembling their gear, are now adding dive lights to their repertoire. Glow sticks are attached to tanks. The night divers are preparing for that ultimate change, the night reef. We all feel the apprehension of diving in total darkness, but also know that this is a time of magic, a time of change. We have all experienced the special difference that night brings on. Now, not knowing what to expect, we expect nonetheless, to experience something special.
It is our turn, I go first, stepping off the dive platform into the inky blackness. The water is warm, salty, inviting, as during the day, but now I can see nothing looking down into the inky blackness. Turning on my dive light, the beam penetrates the darkness 40 feet below. The reef is illuminated by the glow of my powerful beam. A splash nearby alerts me that my dive buddy has joined me. We exchange a brief OK signal, and begin our descent. Below the lights of other divers dot the reef. Our dive lights pierce the darkness below. As we descend we encounter krill, tiny shrimp-like creatures who are attracted to,and are excited by, our lights. Squid appear quickly, also attracted by our lights, but also by the krill, their natural prey. They hover in our lights, their clasping tentacles shooting out and quickly capturing krill. They are wary of us but can’t resist the easy meal. They are amazing to watch. I shine my dive light on the nearby brain coral which, during the day, appears dead but is now alive with waving tentacles of its own. Unwary Krill excited by the light collide with the coral and are quickly captured and eaten. I see a shadow passing by the edge of my light and I turn in its direction. It’s a large grouper, I follow him.
It is our turn, I go first, stepping off the dive platform into the inky blackness. The water is warm, salty, inviting, as during the day, but now I can see nothing looking down into the inky blackness. Turning on my dive light, the beam penetrates the darkness 40 feet below. The reef is illuminated by the glow of my powerful beam. A splash nearby alerts me that my dive buddy has joined me. We exchange a brief OK signal, and begin our descent. Below the lights of other divers dot the reef. Our dive lights pierce the darkness below. As we descend we encounter krill, tiny shrimp-like creatures who are attracted to,and are excited by, our lights. Squid appear quickly, also attracted by our lights, but also by the krill, their natural prey. They hover in our lights, their clasping tentacles shooting out and quickly capturing krill. They are wary of us but can’t resist the easy meal. They are amazing to watch. I shine my dive light on the nearby brain coral which, during the day, appears dead but is now alive with waving tentacles of its own. Unwary Krill excited by the light collide with the coral and are quickly captured and eaten. I see a shadow passing by the edge of my light and I turn in its direction. It’s a large grouper, I follow him.
