Dive Pacific 175 Dec2020 Jan 2021
Dive Pacific, New Zealand's Dive Magazine , captures the best of diving in New Zealand and the Pacific. with adventures, top photos and expert technical advice
Dive Pacific, New Zealand's Dive Magazine , captures the best of diving in New Zealand and the Pacific. with adventures, top photos and expert technical advice
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Story and photos<br />
by Sarah Ford<br />
perpendicularly through it,<br />
before passing outside. Denser<br />
food particles continue to the<br />
back of the throat. This suctionfeeding<br />
system allows them to<br />
swallow schools of small bait<br />
fishes along with many litres<br />
of water, retaining the fish and<br />
pushing the water back out.<br />
The night before Leeza had<br />
explained how gentle these<br />
creatures are. We could approach<br />
closely to them and, if we kept<br />
still, they would know where<br />
we were and avoid us. The dive<br />
guide signalled for us to come<br />
and hold a rope right near where<br />
they were coming to feed. But as<br />
they came right up it was hard to<br />
stay our ground. They eye balled<br />
us, and with their giant mouths<br />
open.<br />
…They grow very slowly reaching maturity when around 30<br />
years of age, and live to be 60-100 years old. They reproduce<br />
only slowly…<br />
We were so lucky to spend an<br />
hour in the water within a metre<br />
or two of these massive creatures<br />
as they fed and swam around us.<br />
When we reluctantly boarded<br />
the dive boats everyone was on a<br />
high. The excitement was clearly<br />
visible on everyone’s faces. We<br />
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