Olhugirri Kandu and Muli Corner Post retirement dives 820, 821 February 14, 2025

Below is the Theia's schedule for February 14. The first dive was a strong current dive requiring we hook off on the reef at a site called Olhugirri Kandu, an entrance pass to Meemu Atoll.

We quickly descended and the team hooked off in the strong incoming current on the edge of the drop off at the entrance of the channel at 85-90 ft. Below:

We were soon rewarded with fly by visits from Giant and Blue Trevally Jacks and beautiful Silvertip Sharks . Below, Giant Trevally:

A passing Blue Trevally, below:

Silvertipped Sharks, below:

I was able to shift where I was hooked off on the reef a couple times which allowed me to get some photos of the beautiful reef fish and corals. Below, Anthias in coral

Aptly named Blue Triggerfish, about 8-10 inches long, we saw many on nearly every dive but they are shy and always dive into holes when you try to approach to get a photograph. I'm pleased to have gotten this picture, below:

An Eye Stripe Triggerfish, below:

A beautiful pair of Headband, also called Redtail, Butterflyfish, below:

A Brown and White Striped Lionfish, below:

We eventually unhooked from the coral and did a very fun high speed drift into the channel. Below:

I was able to make brief pauses to photo interesting subjects as we drifted, below:

A colorful parrotfish, above: A couple more parrotfish, below:

A cool Soldierfish with a cleaner wrasse, below:

A moray with cleaner wrasse, below:

Below: A beautiful Blue Spotted Grouper

The second dive was at another Atoll channel entrance site called Muli Corner. Because the current was expected to be very strong, it was recommended we not dive with our large cameras so I just carried our GoPro. We hooked off at around 90ft but the sharks didn't show closeby so I didn't shoot much video. Below is a video of us hooked up to the reef in the current waiting for visitors, note our bubbles streaming back in the strong current: After we'd waited awhile with disappointing results we unhooked and did a very fast drift dive in the channel, below: We crossed a large Nurse Shark napping in the reef, because of the strong current I was unable to get close to it. Below: I shot this brief video of our dive Dhoni, Pelican, coming over to pick us up after we'd sent up our SMB floats and completed our safety stops, below: This short video is just for a feel for riding back to Theia aboard Pelican at the end of our dive. Below: