August 18, 2013
One of the attractions of the anchorage off the Cousteau Resort is snorkeling off nearby Split Rock. The challenge is finding it since it’s underwater. We knew approximately where it was and were able to confirm the location by watching the resort’s snorkeling boat. After they left, we headed over and tied our dinghy to their mooring.
We jumped into the water and were instantly swarmed by sergeant fish. It seems they’re used to being fed! We hadn’t thought to bring food, and after nipping at our fingers for awhile, they gave up and began to disperse. Still, we had some who continued to follow us around, close enough that I worried about accidentally kicking them.
It was easy to find Split rock, a mound about the size of a small house that’s split down the middle. What was really surprising was just how nice it is. We couldn’t believe the variety of fish and coral in this one place! And because they’re often fed by the resort’s snorkeling guides, they’re pretty friendly.
(The waypoint for Split Rock is: 16 48.4310 S, 179 17.4683 E)
The rock itself is beautiful, with a chasm that goes down through to the bottom, about 15 feet. In this chasm live an astonishing variety and number of fish, different from the fish that live on the outside of the rock. We spent quite a while snorkeling there, and then went to check out other nearby bommies. While they weren’t as fish-intensive as Split Rock, there were still plenty of fish, even a few hadn’t seen before.
We had to admit that this small area has pretty spectacular snorkeling, and we were kicking ourselves for not bringing a camera. We got pictures on subsequent trips, through; so I’ve borrowed some of them to use in this post. Below, a gallery showing some of the fish around the chasm. Click to enlarge and scroll.–Cyndi
