20 Oct - Snorkelling Ant Chanel

After diving the back wall of Ant we headed around to the pass that gets you inside the atoll lagoon. We trolled a couple of lures along the reef and scored a barracuda and a little wahoo. Nic volunteered to wind them in and did a great job. Fish on board.

 

We stopped in the pass and jumped over the side for a quick snorkel before heading over and setting up camp on the beach.

 

 The pass into Ant is one of our favourite spots to snorkel. There are always plenty of fish and colourful corals everywhere.

 

 Not that this photo shows it that well but there is always an awesome reflection in the water above the reef.

 

 Because the tide moves through here there are heaps of soft corals that enjoy the flowing water.

 

 Plenty of nemos.

 

 Not a bad pic.

 

 The ever present colourful clams.

 

 A school of boar fish, another first for us.

 

This maori wrasse followed me around for about ten minutes, an absolutely awesome fish.

 

Well time to head to the beach and set up the camp site.

20 Oct - Diving the back wall of Ant Atoll

With the baby-sitting arranged and on time Nic and I headed over to Ant Atoll for an overnight camping trip. We trolled most of the way for the elusive marlin, but it proved to be elusive once again. We headed straight to the western side of Ant Atoll and dived the wall. It's forty-fifty metres down to the undercut and from there it is a drop over a thousand metres deep. Awesome.

 

 As soon as I got in the water I looked around for Nic and she was already doing crazy hand signals....

 

 Right beneath us were a couple of solid white-tip reef sharks.

 

 They stayed at a safe distance; at the beginning.....

 

 As always there were heaps of colourful fish.

 

 And the sharks came closer. Great to see them up close.

 

 I like this photo. Nic was just drifting along as this school cruise past at speed.

 

 Colourful critters.

 

 There are plenty of soft corals over at Ant.

 

 All different shapes and sizes.

 

 A beautiful grouper. Very lucky to get one this big to sit still long enough for a photo.

 

 Some sort of 'flute fish' I think.

 

 More colourful coral.

 

 30 metres down looking up through a gap in the reef. Very cool.

 

 Nic trying to get a closer look at a Nemo.

 

 I haven't seen a boar fish this deep before....

 

 Nic, happy to be spending some kid-free time.

 

 Nic's turn with the camera. Great to just float along in the mild current.

 

 You don't normally see clams this deep either.

 

 Out the front of a huge underwater cavern.

 

 Yet another shark, we must have seen at least twenty on this dive.

 

There were even deep-water Nemos on this dive.

 

What a great way to start a kid-free overnighter.

08 Oct - Ant Atoll

Monday 8th of Oct was a holiday here in Pohnpei. Family and Communitee day so it was fitting to spend yet another family day together on the boat. Yes I tried a little bit of fishing but with no results.

 

 Terrible conditions on the way over as you can see.

 

 First stop as normal was to snorkel with the beautiful giant clams.

 

Indi and Jaxon love snorkeling and looking at everything there is to see. Lifejackets on for the deeper water.....

 But once they can touch the bottom they are little fish.

 

 Cracker photo.

 

 Jaxon must be part fish, he spends more time under the water than on top.

 

 Our friend Brenda joined us for the day. Malibu out of coconuts, now that's how you do it in the Pacific.

 

 Making a strawberry pie with chocolate chips. If only....

 

 What the hell have you got in the hole boy?

 

 I should have guessed. The ole enemy - the hermit crab.

 

 We came across another family on the island who were actually spending a week there living on their boat. A great life if you can do it.

 

 Jaxon and Indi didn't seem too concerned about Daddy getting eaten by a coconut crab......

 

 On the way out of the atoll we stopped and snorkelled the pass. The tide had less than a foots movement all day which gave the silt and sand a great chance to settle. It also provided us with some of the cleanest water we have seen on the island.

 

 Nicola the beautiful, elegant dolphin impersonator.

 

 Just kicking back, as you do.

 

 The pass has a great collection of hard and soft corals.

 

Not to mention the millions of fish.

 With the sun just pasts its zenith the colours of the corals were fantastic.

 

 Yet another 'Nemo' shot for the blog.

 

More hard coral.

 

I'm not sure how many more times we'll get over the Ant Atoll before we leave. Hopefully at least a couple more times. The tradewinds are starting to kick in with a bit more consistancy so that means it will start to get a little rougher out on the open ocean. Once you get there you are fine, but getting smashed for two hours each way makes you think twice.

Sep 2012 - Family and Friends

Late September saw Nic, Jaxon and Indianna head across to Brisbane to spend time with Nana C. Nana C was very ill after 12 years of battling cancer and needed some moral support.

 

 Chris (Nic's mum) also headed to Brisbane for a few days to help Nic out with the kids while she was taking care of Nana C.

Making the best out of a bad situation, any opportunity to spend time with friends and family is always a welcome time.

 

 Nana C's eyes gained some sparkle when Nic, Jaxon and Indianna arrived. Nana C really loved having the grandkids around.

 

Unfortunately Nana C passed away on the 18th of September. Having Jaxon and Indianna around in those final days was a real blessing for her. Nicola did a magnificent job taking care of the situation until I arrived on the 21st. Rest in Peace Nana C.

 

 Being over to spend time with Nana C also gave us an opportunity to catch up with the majority of my family who are all based in the Brisbane area. My cousin Megan was a real hit with the kids.

 

Oh no: these little monsters have eaten Meeges' head......

 

 Once again another opportunity to make something out of a bad situation. My best mate Lyndon was in Cairns with one of the Tongan patrol boats so we caught up for breakfast on the way through.

 

Kath and Jeff have been over to Pohnpei to visit Dean and their daughter Heather a couple of times since we have arrived. Jaxon and Indi are a big hit and we loved catching up for a couple of hours for lunch one day.

 

 Next stop was Toowoomba to visit three separate lots of people. First it was to Ma and Monique's for a great dinner, sleepover and breakfast. The kids all got on like a house on fire keeping us on our toes past ten pm.

 

 These Campbell kids sure are great huggers.

 

 Good mates seem to pick things up where they left off, even if the last visit was over five years before.

 

 Ma and Mon, still going strong - great to see.

 

 Ma cooked up a bbq breakfast storm which the kids loved.

 

 You'd think after a late night that they might have slept in - no such luck......

 

 A camera with a timer: you've got to love it.

 

 Instand BFFs.

 

 Next stop was over to Grandma's and Granddads for morning tea. The years are definately passing way to quickly and it was great to spend a couple of hours together.

 

 With my Dad having already moved on to the next life it was the closest we could get to four generations of Campbells in one photo.

 

 Our third and final stop in Toowoomba was to catch up with my 2nd cousin Owen. A nicer bloke you aren't likely to meet. We'll have to make more of an effort to stay in touch.

 

 As 'luck' would have it my friends Jodie and Belindas' Grandmother passed away about the same time as my Mum. This created a unique opportunity for us to catch up with even more friends as the funeral was the day after Mums. Lyndon, Ian and I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up for a beer or two. Even more bizarre is that Lyndon wasn't even there for the funeral, he was there to have a root-canal operation. Meant to be.

 

 Destressing....

 

Uncle Kel and Auntie Jeanie. I'm not sure that Jeanie was too healthy the day after this photo was taken.

 

 Uncle Sean decided to join Indi with a bucket of bubbles.

 

 I'm sure he was asking himself "What the hell am I doing?" Alcohol must have impaired his judgement.......

 

 Super Model Cousin Cammie popped over for a quick catchup one afternoon. Great to see her again.

 

 We spent the most of the time at Rowan and Sean's place. It's nearly summer and it was bloody freezing. Below 20 degrees C - who chooses to live in such conditions.......

 

 Our last day in Brisbane saw us catch up with the Quirkes and Gordans for one last time.

 

 What is it with kids and fingers????

 

 A great group shot. Lyndon was there in spirit I'm sure.

 

 Two of my God Children. A fantastic opportunity to catch up.

 

 My cousin Lizzie (aka the killer 'egg and bacon pie' maker) also joined us. Great to see her once again also. Lizzie was a great help to Nic by taking care of the kids a few times over the weeks we were in town.

 

Jodes and Bindy - Ain't love grand.

 

So not withstanding the reasons we all had to be in Brisbane it was fantastic to catch up with so many different family members and some or our closest friends.