Christmas in September

In September 2015, Whale Song travelled to Christmas Island assisting with a joint US/Australian Navy Exercise designed to understand the properties of radar in the tropical environment.

Several weeks at Christmas Island gave us a brief, all be it lasting, experience of this beautiful ancient seamount.  With a richly diverse natural habitat and an eventful history of colonisation and development of the phosphate mine, tiny Christmas Island is possibly one of the world’s most multicultural communities.

Lots of surprises await at this little patch of Australia, in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Thinking of warm days spent at Christmas Island…

 

Below. Beneath these ancient cliffs, lies another world.

Below. Beneath these ancient cliffs, lies another world.

 

Plate Mound. These Acropora plate corals are just gorgeous!

Plate Mound. These Acropora plate corals are just gorgeous!

 

The Usual Suspects. At a coral outcrop near the mooring, these blue-lined surgeonfish are the usual suspects in the usual place.

The Usual Suspects. At a coral outcrop near the mooring, these blue-lined surgeonfish are the usual suspects in the usual place.

 

Clearwater. We have to get in!

Clearwater. We have to get in!

 

Rock Perch. Back at the rock wall mooring, a flop into the water was on the cards. This Christmas Island Red Crab is already perched on the rocks, the release of eggs takes place during November December and timed with the moon.

Rock Perch. Back at the rock wall mooring, a flop into the water was on the cards. This Christmas Island Red Crab is already perched on the rocks, the release of eggs takes place during November December and timed with the moon.

 

 And a little coral limestone rock also beckoned!

And a little coral limestone rock also beckoned!

 

And so I obliged, and was so delighted with the clear warm water view! The Indian Ocean never ceases to amaze!

And so I obliged, and was so delighted with the clear warm water view! The Indian Ocean never ceases to amaze!

 

 

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply

UA-17929247-1