Easter Weekend 2024

If you enjoyed last week’s dive photos taken by Berto at Sodwana Bay (read here), we’re sure you’ll enjoy this post just as much.

As mentioned last week, Berto did six dives over four days. In this post we will cover the last three dives. And they only got better, especially the last dive with great visibility and the dolphins that swam with their boat for a while.

Sunday, 31 March 2024:

An ‘old friend’, the Moray eel was once again one of the first fish that awaited the divers. Whether it is the same one as with the previous dives or whether there are just a lot of them here at Sodwana Bay, we do not know. Moray eels are known to be a shy and elusive fish so it’s always great to see them on a dive.

Moray eel

Another fish that is quite shy, is the Bluespotted ribbontail ray (a species of stingray). When threatened, they will use its venomous tail spine to deliver venom, but they will usually swim away when approached by divers.

Bluespotted ribbontail ray

The coral and sea plants were once again colourful and, like the fish, are a beautiful sight under the water.

Sea plants

Delicate coral and lots of fish

School of fish

Colourful fish

Remember this one from last week’s post that just kept ‘smiling’?

Caught in ‘poop-action’

More colourful coral

‘Oh, what big eyes you have’

Great visibility at around 18m/59ft under water

This fish is almost like a chameleon on land, blending in with its surroundings

A back and front view of this fish

So close, you can touch them

I call them the ‘Grumpy Lot’ (especially when you look at the shape of their mouths)

Monday, 1 April 2024:

No, it’s not an April Fool’s joke … the visibility underwater was the best it’s ever been. It was the perfect weather conditions for Berto’s last dive. Let’s go and dive one more time.

The colours of both the fish and coral were much sharper and brighter than previous days

Even the water was a deeper shade of blue

At one point the divers swam through a cave. Berto was in the front group and when he got out he was able to take a photo of the divers’ air bubbles as they swam through the cave.

You can’t see the divers, but you can see their air bubbles

The plant life and coral were amazing

The ‘Black Knight’ of the sea

It’s as if the marine life knew it would be Berto’s last dive for the season and the Loggerhead sea turtle made his appearance again and swam gracefully between the divers.

Loggerhead sea turtle

Loggerhead sea turtle

Such a colourful little fish

Do you see the Moray eel with its sharp teeth?

No, it’s not an aquarium – this is what you see when you dive 16m under the water at Sodwana Bay

There were again plenty of different species of fish to see

Patiently pose for a photo

The school of fish was also back

Last photo under water – colourful fish and coral

Berto could not have asked for better diving conditions on his last dive. He was a very satisfied diver after getting back on the boat. And then, the icing on the cake – on the way back to land, a pod of dolphins joined them. Some divers jumped into the water and swam with them, but Berto enjoyed the magical moment quietly from the boat – the perfect end to a very successful diving weekend.

Dolphins, the social mammals of the sea

Pod of dolphins

Last look over the waters of Sodwana Bay

Experienced skipper steers the boat on the beach

For one last time, Berto and I went to enjoy a cup of coffee and sandwich at the beach café. We looked over the beach and knew we wouldn’t wait long to come here again.

Sodwana Bay beach

I hope you had fun diving with Berto, just like me.