Dive #57 - Rich Torkington's Dive Log

Fresh grouper fillets, recado, and Night Train Express
Photo by Carol Torkington in Belize 2000

Dive Journal: Linda is a bit tired this afternooon and elects to snorkel instead of dive. Janel and I jump in the boat with the usual gang. Breeze takes us to the wall off Long Caye and decides to follow us in the boat as a drift dive. The conditions are great, sunny and calm waters.

A special moment for Dad, as Janel and I dove in this paradise holding hands. As we toured the wall around 50', we turned and spotted our 1st MANTA RAY!! He was swimming about 35' just over the top of the reef wall, soaring on 7' wings. While we watched with jaws agape, he performed a big sweeping turn up and around us into slightly shallower waters. We watched until his image faded into the distant waters. STUNNING! We are still grinning about this encounter.

Also, more lobsters, indigo hamlets, big groupers. The usual.

When we told Linda about the manta, she didn't believe us until she confirmed it with Carl, Rosa, Andreas, and Mar!